Erin Patterson mushroom murder trial LIVE updates: Doctor reveals what accused killer said when leaving hospital against medical advice – as lone surviving guest and his daughter return to court

Erin Patterson has appeared in court wearing a black, floral-patterned top this morning while lone surviving lunch guest Ian Wilkinson also attended to watch the proceedings with his daughter Ruth Dubois.

Dr Veronica Foot (pictured below), who is continuing her evidence from yesterday, agreed with suggestions by lead defence barrister Colin Mandy SC that Patterson said she would return soon after leaving Leongatha Hospital the first time.

The court heard yesterday that Patterson left the hospital against advice within minutes of being told doctors suspected her lunch guests were suffering death cap mushroom poisoning.

‘I suggested to you (that) she said: “If I need to be admitted there’s some arrangements I need to make first, I don’t live very far away, I’ll be back soon”,’ Mr Mandy SC said.

‘We wanted to make sure she got the care she needed,’ Dr Foot said.

Dr Foot agreed with a suggestion by Mr Mandy that when Patterson returned she had a high heart rate, which was a symptom of ‘poisoning’.

She told the jury she advised Patterson that she and her children should go to the Monash Medical Centre in Melbourne.

‘It’s important to err on the side of the caution,’ Dr Foot said.

She said she discussed with Patterson a ‘liver transplant’ may be required for her and her children.

‘About the liver transplants, did she ask: “Would that be the case for everyone?”,’ Mr Mandy asked.

Dr Foot said she couldn’t remember Patterson asking about the liver transplants but agreed that she did ask about the health of the other lunch guests and how they were coping.

Dr Foot said she could not disclose confidential information if she was even aware of their health situation.

Church paster Ian Wilkinson has arrived at court again to hear evidence in the trial against Erin Patterson.

Mr Wilkinson (pictured below, centre) was the lone surviving guest of the deadly lunch on July 29, 2023.

Mr Wilkinson’s daughter, Ruth Dubois (pictured below, right) has also returned to court after taking the witness stand yesterday.

The jury of 15 people have heard accusations Erin Patterson, from Victoria’s Gippsland region, intentionally prepared a meal laden with death cap mushrooms to kill four people.

Three guests including her parents-in-law Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, died horribly after eating individual beef Wellingtons cooked by Patterson during lunch at her Leongatha home on July 29, 2023.

A fourth guest, Heather’s husband and church pastor Ian Wilkinson, managed to survive the lunch after spending weeks in an intensive care unit.

The court heard Patterson’s estranged husband Simon was also invited but didn’t attend.

Witnesses told the jury Patterson ate her serving from a smaller and differently coloured plate than those of her guests, which the court heard ate from four grey plates.

The jury was also told that Patterson had been in two Gippsland areas where the lethal death cap mushrooms had been spotted and alerted via the iNatural app.

Patterson told authorities she bought dried mushrooms from an unnamed Asian store in the Monash area of metropolitan Melbourne, however health inspectors could find no evidence of this.

The health department declared the death cap poisoning was ‘isolated’ to Patterson’s deadly lunch.

Multiple witnesses including Simon Patterson (pictured below), Ian Wilkinson and other family members have given emotion-charged evidence to the jury.

Medical staff have told the jury of the horrifying symptoms the dying lunch guests and Ian Wilkinson suffered.

Patterson’s movements at hospital and her abrupt departure have also been aired in court as the trial continues this morning.

Erin Patterson’s estranged husband Simon, who was invited to the lunch but did not attend, is pictured below outside court with a supporter.