Philip Polkinghorne murder trial live updates: Retired eye surgeon admits meth charges; faces trial over wife Pauline Hanna’s death

A successful eye surgeon. A celebrated DHB boss. An “unexplained death” in an affluent Auckland suburb over a long weekend.

Today a lawsuit that has been in the works for years begins.

Paulina Hanna, 63, was found dead on Easter Monday 2021 at the Remuera home where she was married to her husband Philip Polkinghorne for 30 years.

Polkinghorne arrived at court this morning flanked by his lawyer Ron Mansfield and the rest of his legal team, dressed in a navy suit and tie.

Polkinghorne began his trial today by pleading guilty to possession of methamphetamine, which carries a maximum prison sentence of six months, and possession of a methamphetamine pipe, which carries a maximum prison sentence of one year.

For the past two years, the charges had been kept under wraps, but the guilty plea ended the cover-up. Now that the charges have been pleaded guilty, only one charge remains for the six-week trial: murder.

The composition of the jury has now begun.

Hanna’s body was found on the $4 million Upland Road lot, and her death was considered “unexplained” for 16 months.

Until it emerged that Polkinghorne had been charged with murder. He pleaded not guilty in August 2022.

Police searched the couple’s home for 11 days after Hanna’s death on April 5, 2021.

In a statement released through his attorney at the time of his arrest, Polkinghorne expressed his “shock” at the charges.

“I have stated that I am not directly guilty. Now that the police have charged me, the matter is before the court and I am not allowed to comment further,” he said.

“The legal process must now take its course and I trust that the truth will come out. I thank my family and friends for their continued love and support.”

Polkinghorne, who previously worked as a doctor at Auckland Eye, retired after the death of his wife.

Hanna has held various roles in healthcare including Executive Project Director at Counties Manukau District Health Board and assisting with the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The main players

The crown

Crown solicitor Alysha McClintock oversees the prosecution of serious crimes in the Auckland region. She was appointed to the role by Meredith Connell in 2023.

McClintock has more than 20 years of experience as a Crown prosecutor.

She is joined by Brian Dickey, now a barrister at Bankside Chambers, who presided over his first High Court trial at the age of 23 and his first murder trial in 2003.

In 2015, he was appointed Crown Solicitor and spent a number of years focusing on commercial litigation and white collar crime, including the series of litigation involving financial companies following the global financial crisis.

He was at the center of some of the country’s biggest murder trials.

The defense

Ron Mansfield KC is a senior criminal defence lawyer with over 30 years’ experience. He was appointed to the senior rank of Kings Counsel (KC) in 2021.

He has defended clients in serious criminal cases in some of New Zealand’s most high-profile trials.

In addition to those accused of criminal offenses, Mansfield also has a strong social justice bent. He has represented prominent activists in cases involving social justice issues.

How does a trial period work?

Today, the process of assembling a jury of 12 people begins. There is never any indication of how long this will take.

It starts with the clerk of the court calling out names of people who are potential jurors, who a lawyer can “challenge.” They don’t have to explain why they are “challenging” people, but it is a tool used to ensure a good cross-section of society on the final jury.

Judges typically make opening remarks at the beginning of the trial, explaining the role of the jury. They explain the law and help jurors understand the evidence presented in court.

After a jury has been selected, or “impaneled,” the prosecution will begin to outline its case with an opening statement. This includes what the defendant is charged with and an explanation of the types of evidence it will present to the court.

Here the public learns what the Crown believes happened and how it intends to prove it. The defense may also make an opening statement.

Witnesses are called one by one to testify. First they are questioned by the prosecution, then by the defense in what is called cross-examination.

After the prosecution witnesses, the defense will have the opportunity to present its evidence. If it plans to call witnesses, the defense will present an opening statement.

When all the evidence has been presented, the prosecution and defense will make a closing statement to the jury. The judge will summarize the case and describe how the law applies to it.

The jury then goes into “deliberation.” This can take hours or days.

The trial, which is taking place at the High Court in Auckland, has been adjourned for six weeks.

The Herald will cover the case in a daily podcast, Accused: The Polkinghorne TrialYou can listen to the podcast via The front page feed.

The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to weekdays from 5am. The podcast is hosted by Chelsea Daniels, an Auckland-based journalist with a background in world news and crime/justice reporting who joined NZME in 2016.

You can follow the podcast on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotifyor wherever you get your podcasts.