Daijiworld Media Network- Melbourne

Melbourne, Aug 8: In a chilling revelation, fresh court evidence has emerged against Erin Patterson, the Australian woman convicted of murdering three of her in-laws with a toxic mushroom lunch, suggesting she had also made repeated attempts to kill her estranged husband using poisoned meals.

The 50-year-old, who last month was found guilty of luring her mother-in-law Gail Patterson, father-in-law Donald Patterson, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson to her Leongatha home in 2023 before serving them death cap mushroom-laced Beef Wellington, is now accused of targeting her husband Simon Patterson on multiple occasions.

According to court records, between 2021 and 2022, Simon Patterson allegedly fell gravely ill after consuming his wife’s cooking — including penne bolognese, chicken curry, and a sandwich wrap. The illnesses were so severe that he was left temporarily paralysed, required part of his bowel to be removed, and was reportedly close to death. Simon, suspecting foul play, began maintaining a spreadsheet documenting his bouts of sickness, all of which, he claimed, followed meals prepared by Erin.

Initially charged in 2023 with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder, four of those counts related to Simon. However, the prosecution dropped the attempted murder charges involving him just before the first trial began. This meant that the jury never heard the explosive allegations about her husband’s near-fatal illnesses.

Adding to the disturbing case, police seized a computer from Patterson’s home which, according to investigators, contained searches for various poisons — evidence later deemed inadmissible in court. Throughout the high-profile trial, Patterson maintained her innocence, insisting the fatal mushroom lunch was a “terrible accident.”

The sensational case, which has gripped Australia, will return to court on August 25 for the first day of a two-day plea hearing, where victim impact statements are expected to be presented.