How the Erin Patterson mushroom trial caught the world's attention

Australian woman who laced beef wellington with deadly mushrooms found guilty of murder

Erin Patterson pictured in a prison vehicle in at Latrobe Valley Magistrate's Court in Morwell, Australia, in May
Erin Patterson 'exposed herself to cross-examination' by choosing to take the witness stand in her trial at Morwell, Victoria
(Image credit: Martin Keep / AFP via Getty Images)

The "mystery" of "what happened at Erin Patterson's dining table" in rural Australia on 29 July 2023 has "gripped the world" for two years, said the BBC.

Of the four relatives who were served beef wellington in her home on that "fateful Saturday", three subsequently died and one was left "fighting for his life".

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Hollie Clemence is the UK executive editor. She joined the team in 2011 and spent six years as news editor for the site, during which time the country had three general elections, a Brexit referendum, a Covid pandemic and a new generation of British royals. Before that, she was a reporter for IHS Jane’s Police Review, and travelled the country interviewing police chiefs, politicians and rank-and-file officers, occasionally from the back of a helicopter or police van. She has a master’s in magazine journalism from City University, London, and has written for publications and websites including TheTimes.co.uk and Police Oracle.