Man 'still cares' for ex-wife accused of killing his parents with deadly Beef Wellington, trial hears
1 May 2025, 07:28 | Updated: 1 May 2025, 07:35
A man whose parents died after eating a poisonous mushroom-laced Beef Wellington has entered the witness box to give evidence against his ex-wife, describing her as 'witty and quite intelligent'.
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Simon Patterson came face to face the accused killer on Thursday - the first time he laid on his ex Erin Patterson since she was arrested in 2023 for allegedly murdering his parents Don and Gail Patterson.
The 50-year-old is facing three murder charges, the third relating to death of Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson who was also fed the toxic meal.
A fourth attendee, Ian Wilkinson, was the only one present who survived the meal. Patterson is also charged over his with attempted murder after the deadly feed left him in hospital fighting for his life for months.
She denies all charges.
Simon was invited to the meal but canceled the night before. Attempted murder charges relating to him were previously withdrawn.
He told the court how he received an angry response he from his estranged wife when he turned down the dinner invite.
She texted him: "I've spent many hours this week preparing lunch for tomorrow, which has been exhausting in light of the issues I'm facing and spent a small fortune on Beef eye Fillet to make Beef Wellingtons because I wanted it to be a special meal, as I may not be able to host a lunch like this again for some time.
"It's important to me that you're all there tomorrow, and that I can have the conversations that I need to have.
"I hope you'll change your mind. Your parents, Heather and Ian, are coming at 12.30, and I hope you'll change your mind. Your parents, Heather and Ian, are coming at 12.30, and I hope to see you there."
Simon also told the court how he met and then split up with his estranged wife.
He desired her as "witty and quite intelligent", sharing how she enjoyed learning herself, studying pet science, law and science.
Simon said it was "very rare" that guests were invited over for dinner.
He reportedly became emotional when asked when asked about the breakdown of his relationship, requesting tissues and having difficulty responding to questions.
'It's good to be friends with the person you're married too ... it was really important to me that, sorry can I have some tissues please,' he said.
After he asked for a break, Simon was asked whether he still cared for his estranged wife.
"Yes," he replied.
The court previously heard how Erin Patterson had invited her husband and his relatives to lunch while she was attending a Korumburra Baptist Church service where Simon's father was a pastor.
The defence told the jury the meal was a "tragedy, a terrible accident" and she did not mean to hurt anyone.
Patterson has insisted she used button mushrooms and dried mushrooms bought from a supermarket and an Asian grocery shop and was unaware of their poisonous quality.In her statement to police, she said she served the email and invited guests to choose their own plates.
She took the last serving and ate the meal too.
Said she also ate the meal but has survived, later suffered stomach pains and diarrhoea, claiming her children ate the beef wellington the following day but without the mushrooms.
“I now very much regret not answering some questions ... given the nightmare that this process has become,” the statement adds.
“I am now wanting to clear up the record because I have become extremely stressed and overwhelmed by the deaths of my loved ones.
“I am hoping this statement might help in some way. I believe if people understood the background more, they would not be so quick to rush to judgement
“I am now devastated to think that these mushrooms may have contributed to the illness suffered by my loved ones. I really want to repeat that I had absolutely no reason to hurt these people whom I loved.”
Patterson is being tried in a court south of Melbourne around an hour from where the meal was eaten.
