Following the lifting of a gag order, a new Mail podcast has released which reveals previously unheard allegations made by the ex-husband of mushroom murderer Erin Patterson.
Crime reporters Caroline Cheetham and Wayne Flower examine Simon’s secret testimony in full, where he accuses Patterson of repeated attempts to poison him before the deadly lunch that killed three of his family members.
Charges related to Simon’s poisoning were brought against Patterson but placed under reporting restrictions to avoid prejudicing her murder trial.
After Patterson’s guilty verdict, Flower, Cheetham and a team of other court reporters successfully lobbied for the allegations’ release.
Simon’s story comes from pre-trial testimony and remains unproven.
You can listen to the secret episode ofThe Trial of Erin Patterson by clicking the player below or here
The Pasta
In 2019, with their marriage on the rocks, Patterson allegedly pushed for Simon and herself to go on a couple’s holiday to South Africa.
The trip was booked but COVID-19 travel restrictions forced them to reschedule, choosing instead to spend a few days hiking at Wilsons Promontory, a national park in Victoria.
The night before the trip, Simon said Patterson visited his house to drop off some sleeping bags and to help him pack.
‘She took over some pasta Bolognese for him in a Tupperware box – which he warmed up and ate’, Cheetham told the podcast.
‘The next morning, Simon said he headed over to Patterson’s house and by the time he got there, began to feel really ill.
A new Mail podcast has released which reveals previously unheard allegations made by the ex-husband of mushroom murderer Erin Patterson
Crime reporters Caroline Cheetham and Wayne Flower examine Simon’s secret testimony in full, where he accuses Patterson of repeated attempts to poison him
‘Initially, he thought he was just feeling stressed for the trip – not sure how it would go. But then, he vomited.
‘He still wanted to go on the trip, so they set off with Patterson in the driving seat.
‘He continued to be ill into the night… he felt he wasn’t getting any better, so Patterson drove him to Leongatha hospital.’
Simon spent the night at Leongatha before being transferred to another hospital, where he spent five days having his kidney function monitored.
As his children also ate the Bolognese and were fine, Simon assumed the sickness was a bug and not brought on by food poisoning.
The Curry
A few months later, Simon and Patterson decided to go on another camping trip, with Patterson preparing all the food in advance.
‘The first night they ate sausages and on the second night, Simon ate a curry Erin had prepared specially for him’, Flower said.
‘Simon said he immediately felt hot, which led to him feeling sick. He vomited throughout the night and had diarrhoea.
‘By first light, his symptoms hadn’t diminished – so they made the decision to leave and drive him to hospital.
‘He was kept in overnight and discharged the next day… he still felt unwell and called Patterson the following day to ask for help in getting to the toilet.
‘Simon said Patterson came over and that the last thing he could remember was her coming into the bedroom as he was sitting at the end of the bed.
‘He said he laid back on the bed, and that was the last thing he could remember. Simon fell into a coma for 16 days.’
Simon had to undergo multiple surgeries whilst in hospital, being ‘on the brink of death’ more than once.
The operation removed a large section of his bowel, but he luckily recovered.
Doctors could not find a cause for the sudden illness and Simon was able to gradually recover at home.
The Stew
The following month, Simon fell ill again, after eating a stew prepared by Patterson.
This time, he called his parents, Don and Gail Patterson, to drive him to the hospital.
Charges related to Simon’s (pictured) poisoning were brought against Patterson but placed under reporting restrictions to avoid prejudicing her murder trial
Simon’s story comes from pre-trial testimony and remains unproven
The Trial of Erin Patterson is available now, wherever you get your podcasts. Listen here
The sickness was less serious than after the camping trip although Simon’s weeks long recovery reportedly caused a rift in his marriage with Patterson.
Patterson accused him of being lazy, not helping around the house and an argument ensued.
Simon decided to leave the family home for good after the shouting match, never to return.
The Wrap
In September 2022, Simon, now living alone, was invited by Patterson to go on a walk, again at Wilson’s Promontory.
‘Simon said it was Patterson’s idea for the two of them to get together’, Cheetham said.
‘They planned it weeks before and she brought the food. She brought ingredients, he said, to make a curry and vegetable wrap.
‘They stopped at a historical graveyard and had lunch together at a picnic table.
‘They went for a walk along a beach and Simon said he started to feel unwell again.
‘He said it was instinct which told him this time that something wasn’t quite right and then the diarrhoea started, and he felt sick.’
Simon was driven back to his parent’s house where they immediately called an ambulance for him.
On the ride to the hospital, he claims he started to fit, losing the use of his neck, tongue, lips and eyelids.
He was given anaesthetic to sleep to ease his symptoms and thankfully, when he awoke, the fitting had ceased.
Cheetham told the podcast: ‘It was at this point Simon started to wonder if these serious illnesses might not be infections after all.’
To hear what Simon alleges happened after realising he may have been poisoned, search for the The Trial of Erin Patterson now, wherever you get your podcasts.
