Dr Veronica Foote continues evidence
Dr Veronica Foote, who was working as a GP at Leongatha hospital in July 2023, is continuing her evidence.
Patterson’s lawyer Colin Mandy SC, is cross-examining Foote.
He asks Foote about Erin discharging herself from the hospital at 8.10am on 31 July – two days after the lunch.
She agrees that at 8.10am Erin said she would return to the hospital soon.
Mandy says at this point Foote discussed with Erin the possibility of her being transferred to a tertiary hospital in metropolitan Melbourne.
Foote says this was the advice given to the medical team but she cannot recall if she explicitly told Erin.
Erin later returned to the hospital at 9.48am, the court hears.
The jury is just coming into the room, so we should see the prosecution continue its evidence soon.
What we learned yesterday
While we wait for the trial to begin today, here’s a recap of what the jury heard yesterday:
1.Erindischarged herself against medical advice from Leongatha hospital five minutes after being told she may have been exposed to potentially fatal mushroom poisoning. The court was played a triple zero call made byDr Chris Websterfrom Leongatha hospital on 31 July – two days after the lunch – to raise concerns about Erin’s health and safety after her discharge.
-
When Erin returned to hospital later that morning, Webster stressed the importance of her children – who she said had eaten leftovers of the beef wellington without mushrooms – being tested. He said Erin said they would be frightened. He replied “they can be scared and alive or dead”, the court heard.
-
Erin told her brother-in-law,Matthew Patterson, in a phone call at about 10.30am on 31 July – two days after the lethal lunch – that the mushrooms in the beef wellington had been sourced from Woolworths and an Asian grocer, the court heard. Webster said Erin told him the mushrooms in the dish had been sourced from Woolworths.
-
The court heard a written statement fromDanielle Romane, an official at the state’s health department. She said a request to search the state’s cancer registry found no record ofErinhaving received a cancer diagnosis.
5.Gail Patterson’s daughter,Anna Terrington, said her mother reported the lunch at Erin’s house had gone “well”. She said they had spoken on the phone at about 5pm on the day.
Welcome to day eight of Erin Patterson’s triple murder trial.
We’re expecting today’s evidence to begin at 10.30am.
Patterson, 50, faces three charges of murder and one charge of attempted murder relating to a beef wellington lunch she served at her house in Leongatha, regionalVictoria, on 29 July 2023.
She is accused of murdering her in-laws,DonandGailPatterson, and the aunt of her estranged husband,HeatherWilkinson. The attempted murder charge relates to Heather’s husband,Ian.
She has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The defence’s case is that the events were an accident and Patterson never intended to harm her lunch guests.