Erin Patterson has been found guilty of murdering three of her family members with a poisoned mushroom meal.

Patterson, 50, served Beef Wellington to her in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, during a lunch at her home in Leongatha, Victoria, Australia on July 29, 2023.

The 50-year-old mother was also found guilty of attempted murder after Reverend Ian Wilkinson - Heather's husband - survived the lunch.

Prosecutors accused Patterson of knowingly serving the guests lethal death cap mushrooms or "amanita phalloides", but her defence claimed the deaths were a "terrible accident".

Mrs Wilkinson and Mrs Patterson died on August 4, 2023, while Mr Patterson died a day later.

Rev Wilkinson spent seven weeks in hospital - but survived.

The pastor said that Patterson fabricated a cancer diagnosis to bring her relatives together so she could ask them the best way to tell her children about her supposed illness.

That, he said, explained why the children were not there.

But the fake cancer was only the first of Patterson's four deceptions.

She then fed them the poisoned meals while serving herself an untainted portion.

The guests ate their meals off four large grey dinner plates, while Patterson ate from a smaller, tan-coloured plate, the court was told.

The 50-year-old went on to lie about being sick from the food to avoid suspicion, before finally embarking on a cover-up when police began investigating the deaths.

Patterson pleaded not guilty to all charges, saying the deaths were accidental. She now faces a maximum life sentence.