Simon Patterson faced extensive questioning as the first witness to be called on Thursday, first by crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC and later by defence barrister Colin Mandy SC.

He will resume cross-examination by Mr Mandy when the case returns before the Latrobe Valley Supreme Court.

For much of the day’s hearing, Mr Patterson answered the hundreds of questions in a calm and measured approach, but his voice began to falter and his eyes began to tear up as the topic turned to the first time he saw his parents in hospital.

He reached for the tissue box and blew his nose as he described seeing them both in the Korumburra Hospital the morning of July 30, 2023.

“Dad was substantially worse than Mum. He was really struggling,” he said.

“He was lying on his side, he was hunched quite noticeably. A really discoloured face … speaking was an effort and taking the energy to speak was an effort.
“His voice was strained in a way that was, he wasn’t right inside. He was feeling pain.”

Simon’s mother Gail Patterson and his aunt Heather Wilkinson both passed away from multiple organ failure due to amanita poisoning on August 4.

His father, Don Patterson, died the following day from the same poisoning, while Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, gradually recovered and was discharged on September 11.

Prosecutors allege Ms Patterson deliberately poisoned the quartet with “murderous intent” after serving a beef wellington lunch containing death cap mushrooms at her home on July 29.

Ms Patterson however, contends she did not intentionally nor deliberately poison her in-laws but accepts there were death cap mushrooms in the meal.

She has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.

The trial continues.