At about 11.30am on 30 July - the day after the fateful mushroom lunch - Douglas received a call from DrBethMorganasking for toxicology advice about a patient – Don Patterson, the court hears.
Douglas says he was told two other relatives had similar symptoms to Don and Gail Patterson – the accused, Erin Patterson’s, in-laws.
He says his colleague, a qualified toxicologist, advised that Don could be administered N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) - a medication for liver function.
The jurors have entered the courtroom.
The next witness isDr Mark Douglas, an emergency medicine registrar at Monash Health. He is giving evidence via video link.
In July 2023, he was working at Dandenong hospital’s toxicology department as a registrar.
Five things jurors heard on day six
While we wait for proceedings to begin, here are five things the jurors heard on day six of the high-profile trial.
1.IanWilkinson, the survivor of the mushroom lunch, described his relationship with Erin as “friendly” and “amicable”. He said the pair were more “like acquaintances”. Ian and his wife,Heather, were very happy and excited about being invited to the lunch, the court heard.
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Ian told jurors when the four lunch guests arrived at Erin’s house on 29 July 2023,HeatherandGailPattersonwent to inspect Erin’s pantry. He recalled Erin was “very reluctant” about this.
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Recalling the beef wellington lunch, Ian said Erin plated the dishes. He told jurors Erin rejected an offer by Heather and Gail to help plate the individual beef wellingtons. Ian said Erin ate off a “orangey-tan” plate that was different to the grey plates the four guests used.
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Ian testified that after the lunch, Erin told the guests she had a “life-threatening” cancer. He said Erin told them about a diagnostic test which had found a tumor. The defence suggested Erin had told the guests she had a suspected cancer. Ian rejected this and said Erin was “fairly clear that the [cancer] diagnosis was given”.
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The jury also heard about how the lunch guests were treated in hospital. While Don and Gail Patterson were at Dandenong hospital, the toxicology department raised the possibility of death cap mushroom poisoning because of the delayed onset of symptoms.
Welcome to day seven 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.