00:00Colin Mandy SC has defended Erin Paterson in court for nearly eight weeks, telling the jury today his client is not on trial for being a liar.
00:12The lies in the days afterwards, everything she does in the days afterwards doesn't change the intention of the meal.
00:20In a full day of closing remarks, Mr Mandy warned the jury against using hindsight to reach a verdict
00:26on whether Erin Paterson intentionally poisoned her three relatives with deathcap mushrooms.
00:32Knowing that someone died makes it tempting to infer that the accused must have intended that harm,
00:39even when the actual evidence of that intent is weak.
00:43The prosecution has called more than 50 witnesses over nearly two months,
00:47Mr Mandy today countering multiple aspects of their evidence, including Ian Wilkinson,
00:53saying the sole surviving lunch guest was honestly mistaken in his recollection of the host serving herself on a different coloured plate.
01:03Mr Mandy also refuted the prosecution's suggestion Ms Paterson lied about a cancer diagnosis to get her guests to come to lunch,
01:12questioning why the accused would wait until after the meal to bring up her medical issues.
01:18The prosecution has not offered a motive for why Ms Paterson would intentionally kill her in-laws,
01:24but it has said there were tensions between Erin and Simon Paterson and his parents in late 2022,
01:31sparked by a disagreement over child support.
01:34Mr Mandy says this was not a significant conflict.
01:38Our submission is, it's an entirely unremarkable minor blow-up.
01:43It stands out in this case because it's the only one.
01:46These people are eternally polite to one another.
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