I guess from my point of view, Aaron was being extremely aggressive, so I thought a mediator would probably help us communicate about it. But I felt like I'd.
Learn enough and still needed some more information in detail, which I thought Aaron probably would be able to provide that to me and we'd be able to sort it out together.
What you've just heard is Simon Patterson on the second day of his testimony in the trial of Aaron Patterson. It's his words, but not his voice. On the last day of the first week, he told the court in detail of arguments about family and finances. I'm Brook Greenbert Craig, and this is the mushroom Coop.
Laura.
We've just wrapped up on day four of Aaron Patterson's murder trial.
Yes, we're nearly there for the week one more podcast episode ago, let's do it.
Simon took to the stand today and continued his evidence from yesterday where he was being questioned by Colin Mandy. Is that right?
Yes, that's correct. Colin Mandy is Aaron's defense barrister. And what our listeners heard at the top of the episode was some of Simon's testimony from today.
To give context to that quote. Simon text Aaron about her request to meet with John and Gail about how one of their children was coping and child support issues. In court, Simon said Aaron became extremely aggressive, so he suggested to get a mediator to help the pair communicate about certain matters.
And that exchange was in about November twenty twenty two, so around the time these child support issues started cropping up.
And the jury saw other text messages in court today between Simon and Aaron.
Is that right. One of these exchanges related to Gayl's seventieth birthday party, and this was in about October twenty twenty two. In the exchange, Simon and Aaron were texting about Gayl's seventieth birthday that was going to be held at a local pub. But Erin didn't believe she had been invited to this event, and she claimed that she
felt like her invite was an afterthought. She tells Simon in this message, what I reckon is that everybody forgot to actually invite me to this thing, and I feel very, very hurt about that.
And Simon replied to this text and said, You're as far off the mark as you possibly could be on this I get you're mad at me, and I get why. At this point, I would ask you to consider Mum and her feelings as she turned seventy tomorrow and it's really important to her. So I think that just goes to show the tense exchange between Aaron and Simon at this point in time.
And a few hours later, Aeron did say to Simon she would attend the lunch after all, and she apologized for how she was reacting. She said she was feeling very hurt at the time and she lashed out, but said it was no excuse and she would like not to do that again.
The jury also saw a video play at the very start of the hearing today.
Yes, it was the first video the jury have actually been shown.
So it was a short video of Don Pattison and his grandson doing a science experiment with a small toy rocket car. Outside. Smoke could be seen coming from this tiny car, but it did not move. Now in the background of the video, the jury could hear Gail Patterson's voice and she said it's working, but why isn't it going And.
Her comment actually got a few laughs from the courtroom as well. This video was taken on July seventeen, so about twelve days before that fateful lunch, and demonstrated the relationship Don had with his grandson.
Since we've touched on the lunch, it was also mentioned in today's hearings.
In cross examination, Simon was asked about the aftermath of the lunch, especially around the conversations he had with people like his father and Erin while they were in hospital. Mister Mandy asked Simon today whether Erin was updated on how sick Simon's parents had become once they were admitted in Hoss Hospital. Simon paused after he was asked this question and then responded saying it intrigued me that she
never even asked. Mister Manny then pushed a little further, asking Simon to answer the question, to which he conceded he had never updated Erin on their conditions.
And now, two days after the lunch, Aaron messaged Simon from the hospital and said that she was upset that they were talking of transferring her to Dandy Long Hospital. Now keep in mind, at this point in time, Aaron was at lean Gatha Hospital.
And just to remind our listeners, Erin had gone to lean Gatha Hospital on the Monday the doctors there realized that she was the fifth person at this lunch and told her that they were worried for her health, given the other guests had arrived and were starting to show signs of deathcap mushroom poisoning. At the time, Aaron said she was not prepared to stay at hospital and really wanted to leave.
Ultimately, Aaron stayed in hospital, but later that day she messaged Simon and she said that she had stomach paints.
She did, and she described some of the drugs they were beginning to give her at hospital. And I'm definitely going to butcher the pronunciation here, but I think it's under nestron.
I think it's odesterotron.
Oh, there we go.
Maybe that's not right either.
No, you're I think you're I think you're more correct than I am. But she was also given saline and fentanyl.
Ultimately, Aaron discharged herself against medical advice. Okay, now let's go back in time and touch on Aaron's medical history.
Simon was asked today a number of questions about this topic. Mister Mandy put to Simon that Aaron often complained about medical issues over the years, and that she believed she was unwell for various reasons. Some of the things Simon touched upon was heart arrhythmia that affected Erin's sleeping. He also mentioned that she suffered from postnatal depression after the birth of their son.
Simon also said that Aaron hated hospitals and she had a history of leaving them before she actually could. We touched upon yesterday about Aaron lying about having overian cancer, and cancer was also mentioned today. What did Simon have to say about that? Did he actually know that Aaron had put this out there to his family?
He told the court that Aaron had never told him she was concerned about having ovarian cancer. Simon then recounted a conversation he had with his father Don while he was in hospital following the lunch. It was at this lunch that the prosecution says Erin told the guests that she had over in cancer, that she had been diagnosed after a lump was tested on her elbow. Simon said that he came out of that conversation with his father believing that Aaron had cancer, or at least she had
told the lunch guests that that was the case. So we would love to bring you more of the evidence today, but on Friday afternoons, the court won't be sitting, so at about one o'clock the jury are allowed to go home and start their weekends before they return on Monday to continue hearing evidence.
So today was really a short day, Laura.
A very short day. At the end of court today, just as Christopher Biale, the judge presiding over this trial, he turned to the jurors and just reminded them that they might see friends and family this weekend that know they're sitting on the trial, but they really shouldn't be talking about it. He really encouraged them to switch off from the case on the weekends and said the best way for them to prepare for the next week of evidence was to have a good weekend so they could come back refreshed.
But before we switch off, we're going to hear from veteran crime reporter Anthony Dowsley. He's been with the Mushroom Cook team the entire time and he has a few words to say. This has been an extraordinary week.
And while you're switching off, I think I'll be switching on.
Anthony will be with us for a special subscriber episode on Sunday morning. So If you're a Crime ex subscriber, you'll see that in your podcast feed. If you're a website subscriber, go to the app and you'll be able WoT to listen to it there