Warning: The details of this case may be upsetting for some readers.
Questions about the rope used in the death of Pauline Hanna, wife of eye surgeon Philip Polkinghorne, have raised suspicions. The first police officer at the scene noticed problems with the rope’s knots and tension during Polkinghorne’s trial.
The 71-year-old eye doctor admitted to possessing methamphetamine but denies murdering his wife. Hanna was found dead at their home in Remuera on April 5, 2021. The prosecution claims Polkinghorne led a secret life with a sex obsession and a relationship with an escort in Sydney. They argue he killed Hanna and staged the scene to look like suicide.
Polkinghorne’s defense argues that Hanna had mental health issues and took her own life. After the police were called, they found the scene suspicious due to the rope’s condition. They also discovered meth and a glass pipe in their home over the following days.
Detective Sergeant Christian Iogha arrived at the scene after Polkinghorne reported his wife’s death. He said the knots were loose and not strong enough to hold weight, leading him to suspect foul play. He also found a brown smudge on the mattress, which later tested positive for probable blood.
During the search, officers found meth containers and a pipe in the master bedroom, which was identified as Polkinghorne’s side. Iogha was questioned about whether the police had permission to search the home. He explained that they did not need consent at first because they were under the Coroner’s Act, calling it a complex situation.
Polkinghorne’s lawyer, Ron Mansfield, argued that police should have asked for consent, but Iogha couldn’t confirm if this happened. The police obtained a search warrant later that night. Iogha defended the thorough investigation, stating they owed it to the public to be detailed, especially since the house was quite large.
Iogha also mentioned testing urine found in the bathroom, which contained traces of meth. Mansfield questioned where officers went to the bathroom during the long search, noting that portable toilets did not arrive until two days after Hanna’s death. Iogha insisted that officers used bathrooms away from the scene but could not explain the delay.
The trial, which is expected to last six weeks, continues in front of Justice Graham Lang and a jury.
