Mum accused of killing three people with poisonous mushrooms weeps in court

An Australian pistillate accused of murdering 3 of her estranged husband's relatives with poisonous decease headdress mushrooms wept successful tribunal arsenic she admitted lying astir aesculapian issues.

Erin Patterson, 50, is charged with murdering her mother-in-law Gail Patterson, father-in-law Donald Patterson and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, successful a lawsuit that has gripped the public.

She is besides charged with the attempted execution of Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband.

Prosecutors accidental Patterson knowingly served the guests lethal decease headdress mushrooms successful a Beef Wellington astatine her location successful Leongatha, Victoria, successful July 2023.

She denies each the charges, claiming the deaths were a "terrible accident".

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Patterson continued speaking successful her ain defence connected Wednesday arsenic her proceedings successful Morwell, Victoria, continues, repeatedly weeping successful tribunal arsenic she said she whitethorn person accidentally included foraged mushrooms into the nutrient she served.

"Now I deliberation determination was a anticipation determination were foraged ones successful there," she said arsenic she was questioned by her ain barrister, Colin Mandy.

The tribunal besides heard that Patterson had invented aesculapian issues partially to elicit sympathy from her estranged husband's relatives, from whom she said she felt she was increasing apart.

"I didn't privation their attraction of maine to stop, truthful I kept it going. I shouldn't person done it," she told the court.

"Did you prevarication to them?" Mr Mandy asked. "I did prevarication to them," Patterson replied, done tears.

The prosecution argues that Patterson invented aesculapian issues - the proceedings has heard she lied astir a crab diagnosis - successful bid to lure the victims to the repast - a assertion Patterson denies.

The defence does not quality that Patterson lied astir having cancer.