A suppression order that prevented Australian media from reporting on certain evidence in the Erin Patterson murder trial has been lifted, revealing material the jury was not allowed to hear. Patterson was found guilty on 7 July of murdering her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, and aunt Heather Wilkinson, and attempting to murder Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson, after a beef wellington lunch on 29 July 2023.
The order, imposed by Supreme Court Justice Christopher Beale immediately after the verdicts, was lifted on Friday following a successful challenge by a coalition of media organisations, including Guardian Australia. The lifting allows publication of claims and evidence from pre-trial hearings that were ruled inadmissible or unfairly prejudicial to Patterson.
Among the suppressed material were allegations that Patterson may have previously used rat poison in an alleged attempt to kill her estranged husband, Simon Patterson. Simon had told his father and other family members that he suspected Patterson had been trying to poison him before the fatal lunch. Separate charges of attempted murder against Simon, relating to incidents in 2021 and 2022, were dropped after Justice Beale ruled they could not be heard together with the lunch charges.
Justice Beale also excluded most evidence of computer records from devices seized at Patterson's home concerning access to information on poisons, except for one document. Cell phone tower evidence regarding alleged movements was also excluded. A redacted video of Patterson's police interview from August 2023, played to the jury, was among material approved for publication.
A plea hearing for sentencing submissions is scheduled for 25 August, with victim impact statements expected. Patterson's lawyers must file submissions by 18 August, with prosecution submissions due four days later. Patterson did not speak during the brief hearing, only confirming she could see and hear the court.
