Police seized escort’s phone weeks after Pauline Hanna’s death, jury hears of Polkinghorne’s visits to ‘sex worker’
Wednesday, 7 August 2024
Health boss Pauline Hanna was found dead on April 5, 2021 at the Remuera home she shared with her husband.
After an extensive and lengthy police investigation, her husband, eye surgeon Philip Polkinghorne, was charged with murder.
Polkinghorne has pleaded not guilty and the trial is under way at the High Court at Auckland.
Warning: The details of this case may be distressing for some readers.
In the 18 months before Pauline Hanna’s death, Philip Polkinghorne was seen frequently visiting a North Shore address in his car, number plate “RETINA”, with neighbours believing the woman he was visiting was a sex worker.
Polkinghorne, a 71-year-old eye doctor, has denied murdering his wife. Hanna was found dead in the entranceway of their Remuera home on April 5, Easter Monday, in 2021. Polkinghorne wasn’t charged with murder until 16 months after Hanna’s death.
The Crown’s case is that Polkinghorne was living a double life, he had obsession with sex and meth and was in a covert relationship with an escort in Sydney. It argues Polkinghorne murdered Hanna before staging their home to make it look like suicide.
Polkinghorne’s defence is that Hanna had a history of mental health issues, was on medication, was exhausted by work and tragically took her own life.
Ahead of trial, Polkinghorne admitted charges of possessing methamphetamine and a pipe to smoke the A-class drug.
‘RETINA’ car seen frequently outside North Shore apartment
Two people who live at a North Shore apartment complex have given evidence of frequently seeing a white Mercedes with the number plate “RETINA” visit the apartment complex in the 12-18months before April 2021.
Rob Masters, a former police officer for 20 years, told the court he first noticed the car with the number plate “RETINA” in December 2019.
It was the media attention after Hanna’s death that he came to realise the connection.
Masters said the car would visit the complex at least once a week, but sometimes more often.
He met the man, who introduced himself at Philip John, at an annual AGM meeting. Polkinghorne was there to support the woman, Rachel he was visiting, Masters said.
“There’d be times where you’d go out and think ‘Retina’s here’,” Masters said.
Masters told prosecutor Brian Dickey he observed the man with fancy looking bags and champagne whenever he visited.
“He was a well dressed man, but once he turned up wearing scrubs…it stood out.”
Masters told Dickey the woman was visited by others.
“He was the most frequent, but at least one other who would come a couple times a week…my understanding is Rachel is a sex worker,” Masters said.
Under cross-examination, Masters said he was told by a neighbour who thought Rachel was a sex worker.
'It sounds like the neighbourhood watch is quite strong in your apartment, given your careful observations?' Mansfield asked Masters.
“20 years in the police will generally make you quite observant,” Masters replied.
Mansfield asked if it was apparent to him that Polkinghorne knew Rachel well enough to try to help her out with the body corporate issues, Masters agreed.
The lawyer said Polkinghorne had met Rachel when she took her son to the eye surgeon for treatment.
“I’m not aware she took her son in for treatment,” Masters replied.
Masters also wasn’t aware Polkinghorne was providing her financial assistance.
Myra Riddington also lives at the North Shore apartment complex, she said Polkinghorne visited more like four times a week.
“I saw him the first time he came, he was a terrible driver, terrible at parking and nearly ran into me so the first thing you do is look at the number plate,” Riddington said which drew a laugh from Polkinghorne.
'Rachel had a number of clients. Some of them were very nice and friendly. I'd often be in the garden and they might chat about the garden.'
Dickey asked Riddington if she saw Polkinghorne during the Covid-19 lockdowns.
“Oh yeah, he was noticeable he’s a man who likes to stand out, he’d come with champagne and gifts for her and one time wearing his hospital scrubs…and that stands out,” she said.
Police seize Sydney escort’s phone
Earlier on Wednesday, Detective Sergeant Lisa Anderson told prosecutor Brian Dickey she was tasked with travelling to Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat on April 30.
Anderson, along with two other detectives, were tasked with executing a search warrant at a lodge occupied by Polkinghorne and Sydney escort Madison Ashton. She was to seize Ashton’s phone.
Officers introduced themselves and showed the eye surgeon their police IDs and informed him they were there to search the area, she said.
Madison Ashton introduced herself to the police officers and advised them her phone was on the counter.
Both a personal phone and work phone were seized.
“It was requested of Madison to provide the pin number - she declined under the search and surveillance act,” Anderson said.
“She was asked again and refused again.”
Polkinghorne called personal trainer ‘distraught’ after wife’s death
Earlier on Wednesday, the Crown called personal trainer Barry Payne. He told the court he’s been a personal trainer for 25 years and had trained Polkinghorne for about 15 years and Hanna for 8.
“I didn’t train them together, generally couples don’t work that well training together wanting to do different sort of things. Pauline generally came after work on a work night, often on a Saturday they’d follow each other,” he said.
Payne said he’d train the pair about twice a week, but they’d train separately but he saw them interact and they seemed to be ‘quite fond of each other’ and interacted normally.
The personal trainer said Hanna would often be late.
“She was a serial offender in that department,” Payne said while Polkinghorne was “always on time”.
Payne said the couple seemed OK but Hanna once mentioned she thought Polkinghorne had a girlfriend.
“I ignored it, it wasn’t a conversation I wanted to follow up.”
Around April 2021, Payne knew Hanna was working pretty hard on the Covid-19 response and would take work home, but never saw her break down and unhappy.
“She was in good shape, she took a bit of pride in herself, always dressed well,” Payne said.
Payne told prosecutor Pip McNabb he saw the pair on the Saturday of Easter Weekend 2021 and organised to train them on Monday, seeing Hanna first.
On Monday, April 5, Payne was sitting on the couch having coffee when Polkinghorne rang him.
“She’s gone, she’s dead,” Polkinghorne told him.
Payne didn’t initially take what the eye surgeon was saying seriously.
“Did she sleep in - I said something stupid like that,” HE SAID.
But Payne said Polkinghorne was distraught.
“I was a stunned mullet I didn’t know how to respond,” the personal trainer said.
Under cross-examination, Payne told Mansfield he didn’t notice any change in Polkinghorne in the year to 18months before Hanna’s death.
“He didn’t seem manic, distracted?”Mansfield asked.
“No, I can’t remember that,” Payne replied.
Payne also said he wasn’t aware of any drug use either.
“He was always alert I didn’t know any of that, I didn’t suspect any of that.”
In regards to the phone call he received on the morning of April 5, Payne told Mansfield Polkinghorne sounded heartbroken.
“You could hear it in his voice…you could hear the tears almost
On April 10, Payne texted Polkinghorne to check in.
“At the moment I can’t do anything but weep, an absolute mess, I’ll keep in touch, Philip,” Polkinghorne replied.
After Polkinghorne was charged, Payne no longer was able to train him given bail conditions not to speak to anyone who had spoken to police.
A registered nurse who was working at the Highbrook vaccination centre on April 4, 2021 administered Hanna’s second Covid-19 vaccine.
The nurse told the court Hanna came in that day in casual clothes, she was usually well-dressed and always looked professional.
The nurse told McNabb she didn’t notice any injuries on Hanna that day.
The trial, which is expected to last for at least 6 weeks, before Justice Graham Lang and a jury continues.