The Australian woman was last month found guilty of murdering three relatives and attempting to kill another with a toxic mushroom-laced beef Wellington. She was originally charged with three counts of attempted murder against her estranged husband, Simon Patterson, but those charges were dropped without explanation on the eve of her trial. Details of the allegations, which Patterson denied, were suppressed to protect the proceedings but can now be made public for the first time.

Three people died in hospital in the days after a lunch on 29 July 2023: Patterson’s former in-laws, Don Patterson, 70, and Gail Patterson, 70, as well as Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66. Local pastor Ian Wilkinson, Heather’s husband, recovered after weeks in hospital. In lengthy pre-trial hearings last year, Mr. Patterson described what he suspected was a years-long campaign to kill him with tainted food — including an episode that left him so ill he spent weeks in a coma and his family was twice told to say their goodbyes.

In the trial, investigators disclosed various episodes of suspected poisoning, including an incident with a Tupperware container of Bolognese penne in November 2021. The couple had separated in 2015 but remained on amicable terms. Mr. Patterson described illnesses after meals prepared by Erin, including a camping trip chicken korma in May 2022 that left him in a coma and requiring bowel surgery. He also reported severe illness after a vegetable wrap in September 2022. A doctor friend urged a food diary to help identify the cause. He later claimed a batch of cookies—purportedly baked by his daughter—were tainted, possibly with antifreeze. Prosecutors noted investigators could not confirm what Erin allegedly fed him, though they suspected poisons in at least one instance. A sentencing hearing is set for 25 August, where victim-impact statements will be heard. (BBC)