The fate of mushroom cook Erin Patterson is in the hands of 12 jurors, who will soon consider whether she intentionally poisoned her lunch guests with death cap mushrooms.

The jury was sent out for deliberations about 1pm on Monday after Victorian Supreme Court Justice Christopher Beale finished his final directions.

The 14 jurors were balloted down to the 12 who will determine whether Patterson is guilty or not guilty of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.

The jury is being sequestered during deliberations so will have to stay together until reaching a unanimous verdict on all charges.

Patterson denies intentionally poisoning her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, Gail’s sister Heather and Heather’s husband Ian Wilkinson with beef Wellington meals laced with death cap mushrooms.

The Pattersons and Heather Wilkinson all died after consuming the beef Wellington lunch on July 29, 2023, served by Erin Patterson at her home in regional Victoria. Ian Wilkinson survived.

During his five days of directions, known as a charge, Beale outlined the evidence in the case and the arguments from both sides.

On Monday, he advised jurors that prosecutors did not have to prove that Patterson had a motive to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.

But Beale also said jurors could consider the lack of motive in Patterson’s favour when assessing whether she had an intention to kill.

-AAP