A woman's estranged husband serves her family with a poisonous mushroom lunch and it's "very rare" to host social gatherings at home.

Simon Patterson was invited to attend the deadly meal prepared by Erin Patterson - but decided not to attend the day before.

Mr. Patterson is the first witness in Ms. Patterson’s trial – Ms. Patterson is charged with murder of three relatives and murder of another relative, centered on the release of beef Wellington’s lunch at her home in July 2023.

Ms. Patterson, 50, pleaded not guilty to her defense team, and her defense team said she was "panicked" after accidentally providing poison to her loved ones.

Three people died in the hospital in the days after the meal, including Ms. Patterson's former in-laws, Don Patterson, 70, Gail Patterson, 70, and Gail's sister, 66.

The day before the deadly mushroom lunch, the jury had been shown a text message exchanged between Simon and Erin Patterson.

Mr Patterson said he felt "too uncomfortable" about attending lunch.

Erin Patterson replied: "It's really disappointing. I spent a lot of time preparing lunch for tomorrow... For me, you guys are all there tomorrow and I can have the conversation I need to have."

Prosecutors accused Ms. Patterson of inviting the organization to "pretend she was diagnosed with cancer" for lunch.

The court in Mowell, Victoria, heard that there were many periods of separation and reconciliation between the couple's marriage in 2007 and their separation in 2015 - including Erin Patterson who left her husband and young son on a trip to Australia in 2009.

He told the court that Mr Patterson had to drive from Townsville to Perth - about 5,000 km (3,100 miles) away.

The couple met in 2002 while working at Monash City Council, where Mr. Patterson is a civil engineer.

When asked about his wife, Mr. Patterson said: “Irene is very smart.

"First of all, something that attracted me was definitely her talent. She was smart and funny."

When asked how his wife got along with her parents, Don and Gail Patterson, Mr. Patterson said: "She was especially with her dad. They shared the love of knowledge and learning in the world."

Mr. Patterson faltered in his voice, “I think she loves his gentle nature.”

He said Ms Patterson has a business and accounting degree and works at Talimalene Airport in Melbourne and has also been qualified as an air traffic controller.

Mr. Patterson painted a picture of a relationship that contained a period of separation—the first two years of marriage—was an emotion and demanded organization.

He said the text messages he said were a lot of communication, including “joking” and talking about politics, after the final separation.

But the relationship changed when Ms. Patterson was “unhappy” when her husband listed her tax returns.

Mr. Patterson said the “talkful nature” of their relationship almost stopped” and now only talks about the “practice management” of their family life.

He told the court that wearing a navy suit, white shirt and purple tie, Ms. Patterson received a "substantial legacy" from her grandmother, Mr. Patterson estimated that it was $2 million ($1.3 million; £964,000), although it was not paid in one lump sum and was "dragged out" by the executor of the estate.

The jury heard that it was undisputed that the Wellington beef lunch, mashed potatoes and mung beans contained death cap mushrooms and caused the guests' illness.

The judge told the jury that whether Ms. Patterson intends to kill or cause very serious injuries is the main issue in the case.

The court heard the couple married in 2007 and had two children - although permanently separated in 2015.

The jury told the jury that they remained "friendly", including sharing family holidays, despite a drop in child support in 2022.

In the opening speech of the prosecutor on Wednesday, chief defense attorney Nanette Rogers said the jury would hear evidence that Ms. Patterson went to a location near her home in Leongatha where death cap mushroom witnesses had logged in on the Naturalist’s website.

A few days after lunch, she took several steps to "hide" what she did, prosecutors said.

There is evidence that she lied to investigators about the origin of the mushrooms in the dish - saying that some were from Asian grocery stores in Melbourne and she had never forage for wild groceries. She went to a local dump to deal with food dehydration prosecutors said she had prepared for toxic meals.

Ms. Patterson's lawyer said she did not intentionally provide guests with poisoned food.

“The defense case was her panic because the four people were sick from the food they served and she was overwhelmed.”

The court heard how Mr. Patterson talked to his father in the morning after lunch and found that his parents had vomited and Diahorrea since midnight, and they called the ambulance.

After trying to call his aunt and uncle, Heather and Ian Wilkinson, he went to their home when they didn't answer.

"Ian answered the door. He looked gray and frightened," Mr. Patterson recalled. "Yes, he was struggling.

“I said ‘How are you?’ He said ‘No’.

He told the court that Mr. Patterson then saw Heather Wilkinson sitting on the couch.

"She looks very curved. She has a container as a nozzle," he said.

Heather spoke to him after Mr. Wilkinson left the room, and he confirmed under the inquiry of Prosecutor Dr. Rogers.

"We didn't have much conversation, but she was confused and she said 'I noticed Erin serving food on different plates from other ones."

He added: "I admit I've heard her voice but it's not progressing as a conversation."

Because he was told that it would take an hour to get there, Patterson sent the couple to Wilkinson's car when Heather Wilkinson raised the topic again.

“She mentioned the colored plate again and she asked me, ‘Does Erin have no pottery? Mr. Patterson said.

“I don’t remember the exact phrase, but that’s it.

The prosecutor asked, what did you answer?

"I said yes, Erin doesn't have that many plates, which may be the reason."

Mr. Patterson became emotional again, describing going to his parents at Korumburra Hospital, where they were in the same room but had a separate bed.

"Dad is much worse than mom. He is really struggling." He fights back and tears.

"He lay beside him. His bent was obvious, his face was very discolored and he tried to speak.

"Talking is an effort, and doing everything is an effort, his voice is nervous in a way he is not inside. He is in pain."