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Erin Patterson will go straight to a jury trial after abandoning an try to carry a preliminary listening to in her area people.
Patterson formally pleaded not responsible to murdering her in-laws and estranged husband throughout a listening to earlier than the LaTrobe Valley Magistrates’ Courtroom on Tuesday .
The shock plea means Patterson will now go straight earlier than the Supreme Courtroom of Victoria the place a jury will determine her destiny.
Erin Patterson was wearing a blue jumper throughout her court docket look by way of video hyperlink on Tuesday
Ms Patterson had wished to run her preliminary listening to near her area people
Patterson, 48, confirmed no emotion as she answered ‘not responsible your honour’ eight occasions.
Her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, died from suspected mushroom poisoning after consuming a beef wellington dish allegedly cooked by Patterson at her Leongatha house on July 29.
She is additional charged with 5 counts of tried homicide of her estranged husband Simon Patterson.
Pastor Ian Wilkinson was the one one to outlive the lethal lunch.
Patterson appeared earlier than Justice of the Peace Tim Walsh by way of videolink from a convention room inside Dame Phyllis Frost Centre.
Wearing blue jail garb, Patterson appeared relaxed earlier than coming into her plea, chatting to a jail staffer concerning the variety of reporters additionally on the videolink.
She’s going to face the Supreme Courtroom of Victoria on Could 23.
It had been anticipated Patterson would run a three-week preliminary listening to earlier than her probably committal to the Supreme Courtroom.
Preliminary hearings are sometimes run by accused killers in an effort to permit their authorized groups to check proof earlier than it’s put to a jury.
It’s understood her ex-husband was more likely to have been among the many witnesses referred to as at that listening to.
In one other improvement, the court docket heard Patterson is accused of trying to homicide Mr Patterson at three separate places.
Don and Gail Patterson died after consuming an allegedly poisoned meal at Erin Patterson’s house
Along with his alleged tried homicide on the lethal lunch, which he pulled out of on the final minute, Patterson is accused of making an attempt to kill her ex-husband at Howqua, 300km north of Leongatha, on Could 27, 2022.
She can also be accused of making an attempt to kill him on September 6 that very same 12 months in Wilsons Promontory, about 60km south of Leongatha, and a 12 months earlier at Korumburra – his house city.
Last month, the court docket heard Patterson had been decided to run a preliminary listening to on the Morwell Magistrates’ Courtroom regardless of it being unable to be accommodated till subsequent 12 months.
Justice of the Peace Walsh instructed Patterson’s barrister Colin Mandy, SC then that he couldn’t accommodate the preliminary listening to this 12 months because the court docket was absolutely booked out.
‘I am not content material to attend Mr Mandy as a result of I do not suppose it is honest in your shopper,’ he instructed him.
Mr Mandy insisted these have been Patterson’s personal directions and he was decided to see them come to fruition regardless of the delay.
‘She wish to have her committal listening to heard in your honour’s court docket, in her area people, and he or she’s content material to attend till the court docket can accommodate her,’ he mentioned.
Pastor Ian Wilkinson (proper) survived the meal however his spouse Gail (left) perished
The Leongatha house the place Erin Patterson is accused of murdering her estranged relations
On Tuesday, Mr Walsh clarified why the court docket was unable to accommodate the preliminary listening to, blaming the unavailability because of particular dates set by Patterson’s personal barrister.
‘There isn’t a criticism of anyone. Mr Mandy is a senior counsel, he is extraordinarily succesful… however they have been the one dates he was accessible,’ he mentioned.
‘I simply wished to make clear that as a result of I feel it is essential the neighborhood is conscious that the court docket might of accommodated a date this 12 months. The court docket’s not sitting right here saying “we will not hear a really important matter till early or mid-next 12 months”. I simply wish to make that fairly clear.’
It stays unknown what impressed Patterson to alter her thoughts and go direct to the Supreme Courtroom.
Mr Walsh had beforehand warned Patterson she confronted a prolonged time behind bars at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre ready for a court docket date.
‘Does she perceive it is unlikely to be this 12 months?’ he requested then.
‘Sure your honour,’ got here the response.
‘We anticipated the court docket may be capable to accommodate us at that interval, in that window we flagged together with your honour, but when it is the following 12 months then Patterson is content material to attend.
‘Which places her in custody for 14 or 15 months… in any case,’ Mr Walsh mentioned.
Crown prosecutor Sarah Lenthall had objected to the proposed delay.
‘Our place is the committal ought to proceed as quickly as attainable,’ she mentioned.
Erin Patterson is accused of making an attempt to homicide her estranged husband Simon Patterson (pictured)
The court docket heard the matter might be held in Melbourne directly or go on to the Supreme Courtroom of Victoria.
Mr Mandy mentioned the continuing ought be held locally the place the alleged crime occurred and near the accused particular person’s house.
‘That is the correct venue for a continuing… we anticipate a 3 week committal and many of the witnesses are from that space and those who aren’t we have agreed can seem by (videolink),’ he mentioned.
‘It isn’t solely a matter of precept and there are highly effective causes for the committal having to happen in Patterson’s area people.’
Mr Walsh instructed Patterson the precise court docket was in Morwell – some 60km from Leongatha the place the alleged murders came about.
‘That is near Patterson’s house within the context of regional Victoria,’ Mr Mandy mentioned.
Mr Walsh refused to decide to Patterson’s request and mentioned he would hand down his choice on Tuesday earlier than the shock aboutface.
Patterson will face the Supreme Courtroom of Victoria on Could 23.
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