The second week has wrapped up in the murder trial of Philip Polkinghorne, the 71-year-old eye doctor accused of killing his wife, Pauline Hanna.
Warning: This article contains content that could be disturbing to some people.
Hanna was found dead in the entranceway of their Remuera, Auckland home on April 5, 2021.
Polkinghorne has admitted charges of possessing methamphetamine and a utensil to smoke the A-class drug but denies murdering his wife.
The Crown argues Polkinghorne was living a double life involving drug use, infidelity and financial stress, which led him to murder Hanna and stage the killing as a suicide.
The defence contends that Hanna took her own life and Polkinghorne found her dead.
Here are key points of the second week of the six-week trial in the High Court at Auckland:
Polkinghorne is described as a ‘sex fiend’ by Hanna herself
An audio recording of Hanna speaking with extended family at her brother Bruce Hanna’s Hawke’s Bay home in November 2019 was played to the court.
“I just know he’s such a sex fiend and wants to have sex with everyone,” she said in it, as well as detailing his relationship with a woman in Sydney.
Hanna also said she used to “join the prostitutes” with Polkinghorne but added: “I can’t do it anymore.”
Escort’s phones seized
As part of the investigation into Hanna’s death, police recounted seizing the mobile phones of high-end Australian escort Madison Ashton, who was staying with Polkinghorne at a glamorous South Island lodge a few weeks after Hanna’s death.
Ashton is said to have refused to provide police with a way to unlock the devices.
Jurors watch Polkinghorne police interview, visit Remuera home
In the police interview played in court, Polkinghorne expressed confusion and concern, wondering whether Hanna had been drinking too much and discussing her sleeping habits.
As the video played to the court, Polkinghorne typed on a laptop and occasionally watched the footage.
On Friday, the rare move was made to have jurors, lawyers, and the judge leave the courtroom and travel to Polkinghorne’s home, where the alleged murder took place.
Longtime friend alleges Polkinghorne ‘changed’
Stephen MacIntyre, who has known Polkinghorne for about 25 years, described him as becoming “manic” and “irrational” over the year leading up to Hanna’s death.
MacIntyre noted that their interactions decreased, and Polkinghorne’s behaviour seemed unusual and untruthful.
Hanna called Polkinghorne ‘beastly’ and ‘sexually demanding’, say friends
Witness Clare Thompson, Hanna’s friend and colleague, testified that Hanna was worried about Polkinghorne’s infidelities and financial dealings. She said Hanna told her Polkinghorne was “sexually demanding” and ”expected it every morning”.
Another friend and colleague Margaret White testified that Hanna was “very unhappy” about Polkinghorne’s infidelities, and that he messaged her one time to cancel working on a project because he had “become beastly”.
Forensic investigator insists she was ‘open-minded’
Forensic expert Fiona Matheson testified that her scene examination was open-minded, despite defence claims she was briefed to assume a homicide.
She collected a wide range of samples, including clothing and bedding stains and DNA from various items, to ensure thoroughness. Matheson stated that it’s easier to downgrade an investigation than to upgrade it, which motivated her comprehensive approach.
The trial has been set down to last four more weeks.
