Philip Polkinghorne murder trial live updates: Laptop contents show Pauline Hanna’s despair amid relationship woes
WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT
Following an argument in March, 2019, in which Philip Polkinghorne told wife Pauline Hanna the past two and a half decades together had been a waste, Hanna typed out her thoughts of despair.
“HURT HURT HURT -- in fact, wrecked,” she said in a Microsoft Word document – read aloud to jurors this morning at Polkinghorne’s murder trial.
“All these years (27) did I get it wrong that he was the only person who truly loved me as his number 1. I was number 1 in someone’s life – as he was in mine – have we got that wrong. ?? God what a prospect – I cannot live if that is the result that I got it wrong.”
The revelation came as jurors spent a second day delving into the contents of the couple’s laptops, listening to evidence from Constable Madeleine Palmer, who produced 1200 pages of documents before narrowing them down to a 92-page evidence booklet.
Polkinghorne, now 71, had been on trial for the past four weeks – accused of having fatally strangled Hanna, 63, before staging the scene inside their Remuera home on the morning of April 5, 2021, to look like a suicide by hanging. He has pleaded not guilty, insisting through his lawyers that his wife had killed herself after years of depression and mounting stress.
STORY CONTINUES AFTER LIVE BLOG
Justice Lang's last words to the jury
Helen Van Berkel
Justice Lang calls an end to the fourth week of the trial, until 10am Monday, when Reeves will continue to give evidence about what he found on Hanna's phone.
"We're getting towards the tail end of the Crown witness list," the judge tells the jury.
He says the Crown case should finish early next week.
The trial is set for six weeks and next week will be fifth.
"As far as I can tell I think we are still on target," but we'll know more next week, he says.
Justice Lang directs the jury to keep an open mind.
"There's a long way to go," he says.
"Don't come to any conclusions at this stage, it's far too early for that, and again just remember we're getting to the sharp end of the trial, so it's just absolutely essentially you don't discuss this case with anyone over the weekend."
Helen Van Berkel
The last interaction was on April 4 at 10.47pm, when it was plugged into a charger.
Reeves says the final entry was a calendar appointment Hanna had created for "dinner with PJP", saved for April 5, at 7pm.
Helen Van Berkel
The police digital forensic unit also extracted data from Hanna's Iphone 8.
At 6.06pm, April 4, she sent a message to Rose Hanna.
About 7pm and 8pm she sent messages to colleague Sharon Alabastro, whom the trial heard from earlier.
Polkinghorne had saved details of knot tying techniques on USB drive
Helen Van Berkel
The drive included more deleted naked images of Ashton.
Six images and three videos were found on another drive - most were of Ashton.
Another drive held 51 videos, 43 were pornographic - 12 of Ashton - and 380 photos, 174 of which were pornographic, many of Ashton.
There were also 35 photos of Pauline Hanna, fully clothed.
There were also numerous naked selfies of various other women sent to Polkinghorne, Reeves said.
The drive also held screenshotted and saved Whatsapp conversations with Madison Ashton, covering arrangements to meet for sex.
The police also found an invoice from the Jake Ryan Group for four hours for $2000 on November 10, 2017.
There was also a text worker to sex worker companion Lee, who has already been mentioned at the trial, "in regards to meeting her and having sex with other males".
More drives held more porn videos and more images of Ashton and Lee.
"There was also multiple saved images of knot-tying techniques," says Reeves.
Yet another drive had about 4000 images of Ashton, under her alias Christine McQueen.
Helen Van Berkel
Another photo showed a meth pipe next to a glass pipe with "Sweet Puff" written on the side.
"I've seized many meth pipes," says Reeves. New ones are clear and used ones are frosted.
Polkinghorne can be seen in a reflection.
"He's naked while taking a photo."
Earlier evidence showed the meth pipe found at Auckland Eye had Sweet Puff written on the side.
An investigation conducted by the firm's lawyers could not identify who left the pipe in a laser room in October 2020.
Reeves tells the court six USB drives had images or data of note. One had 113 images, 20 were pornographic, 13 of Ashton.
There were 31 deleted videos, most pornographic.
Another had a loan agreement document that had Polkinghorne as the lender and Madison Ashton as the borrower, to the amount of about $90,000.
Videos on the drive were taken inside Ashton's apartment and Polkinghorne appeared to be filming as his reflection was in the mirrors.
Further images showed Ashton in a bedroom with her Chihuahuas.
The images were taken in June 2019.
Polkinghorne accessed Whatsapp minutes before calling police, but messages later deleted, detective says
Helen Van Berkel
7.03am to 8.05am: the phone was locked into a landscape orientation, Reeves says.
8.06am: flight mode was switched off and Whatsapp used, but the messages were deleted, Reeves says.
8.10am: the mobile phone app makes an outgoing call, later confirmed to be to Ruth Hughes, Polkinghorne's sister.
Reeves moves to the many hard drives and USB sticks police seized during their investigation.
He reviewed 18 USB drives in total, he says, and six of the drives contained data of interest.
A photo taken on June 22, 2019 was recovered from the first drive.
The investigation team later added rectangles to areas of interest to the photo, which shows a woman on a bed. Her face is not visible. But two Chihuahuas on the bed led police to believe the woman was Madison Ashton.
Helen Van Berkel
1.17am: the note application was used.
1.19am to 1.20am: the photos and videos app was used.
1.45am to 1.49am: the photos and videos app was used again.
2.04am to 2.05am: the photos and videos apps was used again.
2.16am: an email was received from Norton Lifelock.com and the photos and videos app was again used.
2.44am: the phone's display was switched off.
6.46am to 7.03am: the phone was unlocked and the display was on.
The photos and videos app was used until 8.05am - the orientation changed on the phone around the same time.
8.05am: the mobile phone app was used, but because flight mode was still on, there was no connection.
Helen Van Berkel
Also at 11.16pm, the phone was locked and the display turned off.
At 1.10am the phone was unlocked and Whatsapp was accessed until 1.17am.
Reeves does not know what Whatsapp was used for that night. The trial has heard messages before April 5 are missing, despite screenshots showing earlier messages.
The phone was then put in flight mode.
Helen Van Berkel
He returns to Polkinghorne's iPhone.
Reeves said the data he extracted showed all sorts of events in the "acute period" - the days before Hanna's death - including when a phone was used, locked, when its settings were changed and other changes.
From that, he produced a timeline of the phone's activities.
Starting April 4, on 6.17pm, the day before Hanna is reported dead, Polkinghorne received a message from Hanna stating she was on her way back, referring to a visit to the tip.
Two hours later, at 8.17pm, Polkinghorne gets a message from Hanna stating "more than that I think P".
At 10.01pm a Safari web search on Polkinghorne's phone looked for a documentary on Three Now called The Price of Fish, Reeves sys.
At 11.16pm, the Whatsapp application on the phone was accessed.
Helen Van Berkel
After a short recess, Prosecutor Brian Dickey continues to lead Detective Andrew Reeves through his evidence.
Reeves now refers to messages taken from an iPhone belonging to Madison Ashton. The trial heard earlier her phones were seized by police when they arrived at a Mt Cook Lodge where she was staying with Polkinghorne 25 days after Hanna's death.
The messages show screenshots of videos from Polkinghorne's police interview. Another video shows a photo of the wound on his head.
What Reeves found: In summary
Helen Van Berkel
Here's a summary of the evidence of Detective Andrew Reeves:
- Polkinghorne continually messaged escort Madison Ashton and another sex worker in the days after his wife's death. He appears at one stage to be discussing domestic life with Ashton. She also tells him what he should wear to Hanna's funeral, which he suggests did not go well.
- Polkinghorne deleted phone call logs three days after his wife's death.
- Reeves strongly suggests Whatsapp messages from before April 5 had been deleted from the phone.
- After his first police interview on April 5, the day he reported his wife dead, he searched Google for how to delete iCloud storage.
- The following day, he used a search engine meant to afford privacy, Duck Duck Go, to make another search. Police were able to recover it and show he searched "leg edema after strangulation". An edema is swelling due to a buildup of fluid.
Polkinghorne searched 'leg edema after strangulation' day after wife's death
Helen Van Berkel
Then there's a search on Duck Duck Go, a search engine designed to not be trackable at all, Reeves explains: on Google, you are tracked it the search is saved.
"Duck Duck Go is all about privacy," he says.
Duck Duck Go was accessed to search the term "leg edema after strangulation"; the term had been deleted but it left a trail because the user used Safari search.
The search was April 6, 2021 at 5.38pm.
Polkinghorne searched how to delete iCloud storage immediately after police inteview
Helen Van Berkel
Reeves refers to Google searches on Polkinghorne's phone.
On March 27, 2021, there is a search for "how the brain controls pleasure".
Then: "how to change the password on a mac" and a search for an Onlyfans account for Christine McQueen, one of Madison Ashton's aliases.
On April 5, about 5pm, there's a search for how to delete iCloud storage, which Reeves explains is how Apple devices store data remotely.
Reeves says that time correlated with Polkinghorne leaving the police station after speaking to a detective.
On April 6, there's another search "how to record on iPhone" followed by "how to transfer iCloud to a new mac laptop".
Helen Van Berkel
The following day, Reeve seized Polkinghorne's phone.
In court, Reeves moves to the messages police obtained after seizing Madison Ashton's phone when they visited the Matariki Room of a Mt Look Lodge where Polkinghorne and Ashton were staying 25 days after Hanna's death.
Philip Polkinghorne and Madison Ashton shared messages around the day of his wife Pauline Hanna's funeral.
Helen Van Berkel
On the morning of April 14, Ashton sends him an article from ABC talking about house prices climbing.
The pair exchange several videos but it's unclear from the printouts of the messages what they are, Reeves tells the court.
Late on April 15, around the time of Hanna's funeral, Polkinghorne sends Ashton a message saying he thought he would have good news but he does not.
Ashton sends him a story about police remaining at the Remuera home in Polkinghorne 10 days after Hanna's death.
Helen Van Berkel
Polkinghorne later says he is arriving on April 20 and leaving May 2.
Ashton forwards a photograph that Reeves says is spillage inside a fridge with something spilled, and she says: "Let's come up with home duties, who does what".
Polkinghorne replies "don't recognise that refrigerator, must be the neighbours".
Later, he says: "I am good at ironing and grocery shopping putting the rubbish out and can cook" and adds he "is a natural at ignoring the obvious, spotting expired milk".
Helen Van Berkel
Polkinghorne asks if she is free for a call and there are more dog photos.
At 11.34am on April 12, there's a missed voice call from Ashton. She then sends three love hearts and Polkinghorne replies "just at the quarantine thingy".
Ashton replies "on fight" - which Reeves thinks is a typo and should be "flight", and says she loves him.
In a message around the time of Hanna's funeral, Ashton tells him not to wear a bow tie.
"Do not wearing an f-ing bow tie at the funeral," Reeves reads from the messages.
More messages in the following days relate to flights in Australia.
Helen Van Berkel
Ashton sends links to "dining in the dark Sydney", which Detective Reeves thinks is some kind of restaurant.
On April 11 there's a message from Polkinghorne to Ashton titled "and beard trim" with a selfie.
"It looks like he's in the back seat of a car, not sure where he's going, presumably a taxi or something to that effect," says Reeves.
Ashton sends him a photo of two of her Chihuahua dogs in a pram and says "sexy beard trim".
She follows that with a photo with "some sort of cream on her face", another Chihuahua photo and another selfie, Reeves says.
She then starts to talk about a beautifying face treatment, sending photos of her lips following another treatment.
She asks where she can buy needle tips; Reeves says it appears she does some of her own facial injecting for beauty treatments.
Polkinghorne responds with medical details of the needles and gives advice on suppliers in Australia.
Helen Van Berkel
Ashton then sends Polkinghorne a post on social media site Reddit featuring an article of an interview of Polkinghorne by Herald journalist Carolyne Meng-Yee in which he said he was being treated as a "person of suspect".
Ashton asks Polkinghorne if he gave an interview to the Herald.
"Person of suspect?!" she writes.
He replies: "What do you think? Not a chance."
Helen Van Berkel
The pages of messages from Ashton to Polkinghorne include several more photos of herself.
Ashton sends Polkinghorne a younger picture of himself, and the caption "baby face".
He replies: "Oh, goodness something has happened to me".
These messages were exchanged on April 7, two days after Hanna died.
Ashton forwards more images on April 8.
"She tends to take a lot of promotional images of herself in lingerie and underwear," says Reeves.
On the afternoon of April 8, Ashton sends Polkinghorne a photo of her three dogs.
Other attachments follow, along with a reference to her drinking a bottle of pinot noir for dinner the previous night.
Polkinghorne replied on April 8 at 6.23pm, 13 minutes later: "Haha tonight, I am having a syrah with Ruth and Taine [his son]". He says Ruth, his sister, spent hours with police that day. Polkinghorne tells her police won't release Hanna's post-mortem examination results to his QC so they are trying to arrange another autopsy.
Reeves then said he found phone logs on Polkinghorne's phone had been deleted on April 8.
Soon after, Ashton sends Polkinghorne links and articles to more plastic surgery treatments she was exploring, including eye implants.
On April 10 she said to Polkinghorne, "I'm so grateful you're here XXX" and later a message reading "Stay Sane and Carry On".
On the afternoon of April 10, she sent him a list of cities in Australia with dates attached. It's a schedule for one of her tours in Australia, Detective Reeves says.
Helen Van Berkel
There are more, seemingly mundane messages: Ashton sends a story from the Stuff news website, then another photo of herself.
Two days later, on the morning of April 7 about 4.20am, she sends a Stuff article talking about the death in Remuera and the fact of the autopsy.
Ashton sends him photos and videos of her Chihuahuas, and then a photo of her stomach, following cosmetic surgery, Reeves continues.
Helen Van Berkel
On April 5, 2021, messages start about 4pm.
Ashton sent Polkinghorne a link to an image of herself in a swimsuit, followed by various attachments to a tour she was doing and a slowcooker lamb shank recipe. She said she was making the dish for her children, which Reeves said he understood to mean her Chihuahua dogs.
Helen Van Berkel
Reeves now refers to messages starting April 17, 2021, taken from an iPhone belonging to Madison Ashton. The trial heard earlier her phones were seized by police when they arrived at a Mt Cook Lodge where she was staying with Polkinghorne 25 days after Hanna's death.
Helen Van Berkel
Reeves said he was unable to find any Whatsapp messages from before April 5, 2021, when Polkinghorne reported his wife was found dead, which the detective said he found odd.
He begins to explain but Ron Mansfield KC says "No" and prosecutor Brian Dickey says he will rephrase the question.
Reeves then refers to screenshots he found on Polkinghorne's phone of Whatsapp messages from December 20, 2020.
"But when you looked at the electronic data on the phone, when did the Whatsapp messaging commence?" Dickey asks.
"Fifth of April, 2021." Reeves says.
Polkinghorne messaged sex worker seven days after wife's death
Helen Van Berkel
Reeves looked at various messages on the phone that were sent on a range of platforms between Polkinghorne and Rachel/Alaria and between Hanna and Polkinghorne on April 4.
The texts showed on April 12, 2021, seven days after his wife's death, Polkinghorne messaged Rachel/Alaria saying he knew it was late but had thought of ubering over.
Helen Van Berkel
Another video was of a laptop playing a video and showed a "sex act by Mr Polkinghorne" as he watched a video of Ashton in a state of undress.
Helen Van Berkel
Reeves also found 3581 videos on Polkinghorne's phone: 90 were pornography, 121 were sexual videos. One video showed Madison Ashton performing a sex act.
150,000 images found on Polkinghorne's phone
Helen Van Berkel
Court has resumed, hearing more evidence from Detective Andrew Reeves about the contents of Polkinghorne's phone.
Of the 150,000 images drawn from the device, Reeves found 826 images of adult pornography, 3686 of a sexual nature, 3525 from what Reeves describes as "something called cam sites", and most of which were of naked or partially naked women.
There were also photos of several women already mentioned in evidence, including Australian escort Madison Ashton in various stages of undress and with Polkinghorne, and photos of Kimberly, Jody, Lee and Alaria, aka Rachel.
Trial adjourns for lunch
Vera Alves
Justice Lang has called lunch. We'll be back at 2.15pm.
What happened when police seized Polkinghorne's phone
Vera Alves
The Crown calls Detective Andrew Reeves.
On April 8 2021 he was on duty at the Auckland City police station when he was called in to assist in Operation Kian, the inquiry into Hanna's sudden death.
The following day he was tasked with examining digital devices found in Polkinghorne and Hanna's Remuera home.
Prosecutor Brian Dickey is leading his evidence for the Crown.
He was tasked with examining mobile phones belonging to Polkinghorne, a phone belonging to Hanna, a laptop, 11 external hard drives and 33 USB drives, the trial hears.
The tasks were divvied up between Palmer and Reeves.
On April 16, he met with and spoke to Polkinghorne, he confirms.
He met with him Nihill Cres, Mission Bay [his sister's home where he was staying] executing a search warrant to seize his personal mobile phone.
It was an iPhone 12.
It had a piece of medical tape stuck to the back with the word "Polkinghorne" written on it.
"I asked him for his passcode," said Reeves.
What happened then, asks Dickey.
"He said he could not remember it."
Polkinghorne then gave him another code, it didn't work. That went on for four times but the code never worked. So he just left the phone unlocked, changing the screen settings and keeping it active so it wouldn't go into password protection.
How did you transit the phone back to secure storage if you had to keep it live?
Reeves said he held it in his hand instead of placing it into an evidence bag, after putting it in airplane mode.
He returned to the police station and plugged it into a battery pack.
When data is extracted, they usually need the pin code.
As a result, Reeves said he did a manual review, keeping it live and taking photos of the screen, over a period of two days.
He kept the phone active and unlocked for a period of two full days.
Overnight, they plugged it into a battery pack and kept it in a secure cabinet.
It appears he'd turned off the ability of the device to go into sleep or otherwise shut down its screen.
Reeves said he looked at the notes app, recently deleted items, device folders, settings, saved bank cards, photos, videos, emails, maps, Instagram, google, apple ID, duck duck go, contacts and messages.
On the 16th of April, he took 137 photos of the phone.
On the 17th, he took a further 97.
Three days later he took the phone to the digital unit and placed the phone on their "special machine" which is sometimes able to crack into passwords. It worked, they bypassed the password protection and got all the phone data anyway, Reeves said.
Reeves said the data from the phone was saved to a secure online folder he had access to via the police server.
The software used by the digital forensic unit is called Cellebrite, it takes phone data and categories it into emails, location data, photos, presenting it in a format you can read on a laptop, he explains
The size of the download was 152 GB.
Reeves was tasked with looking at messaging and "any sexual images, things like that".
He confirms he was also asked to look for drug usage or drug searches, things of that nature.
"I cannot live": Pauline Hanna's letter to her husband read in full
Vera Alves
Below is the full transcript of Pauline Hanna's letter to Polkinghorne, sent in early 2019, read in full in court by defence lawyer Ron Mansfield.
Date Created 3/03/2019 9:03:00 PM
Last accessed 29/08/2020 12:47:39 PM
MS Word document
This is a letter to the person who loves me: I thought that person was you.
I grew up for ever in the shadow of my brother. My father loved me first and foremost but for my Mother Bruce was first and foremost. Tracey, 13 years younger than me, was never in the fray - but Mother erred towards her. Dad died too young to help me.
Throughout my life because I was painfully shy I was continually hurt, cried my self to sleep often, rejected by my girlfriends because I was too timid, (Susan) except when I met Pheas on our
Secretarial course.
Overseas for two years, ended up by being 7. Reunited with Susan - then split with Susan, Pheas and other girlfriends always there.
Got home, Dad died within two years. I was at Uni - living with Pheas and John, in year 3.
Devastation
Mum shunted us off to do our thing after 2 days! About to fail given my grief. Pheas and John suggested I live with Wyn and Owen for last term. Did so, passed with A+ for 2/3 third year papers and 1 with A pass. Topped the business school.
Went to Otago - still really insecure and not able to believe in myself. Ended up with first in class and sent to Montreal and won the International MBA competition of 30 schools.
Beat Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge and others.
Came back and got hitched up with Graeme. Lonely- time in place - after 10 months in Christchurch followed him to Auckland. I was never "besotted"- and the family did not like him but I persevered.
There were two occasions that made the non reality of it "real". Christmas. His family came up from Dunedin and stayed with us in our (new) house - I was so miserable - they did not enter the
spirit of Christmas, they were so functional, I tried to be loving, they were cold. The second occasion was when I wanted to do some planting around our house - and Graeme said "he just wanted a quiet life" and we had enough and didn't want to change anything. I knew it wasn't me but I did not
know how to break it up.
Then Blind Foundation Dinner. Philip.
Monday: Philip ratting on my door and saying "are you talking to me, atter the kiss on Friday night…… We must have lunch Thursday..
Me: "I can't 1 am partnered.…
Thursday: Took a Taxi from Wallace Block- said to the Taxi driver when we arrived at French Café: "Please take me around the block... l am about to make a decision that is going to affect the rest of my life.
French Cafe, Philip took my hand, heart flipping. I was. sold....………@-and the rest is what we have.
Philip FIRST PERSON IN MY LIFE I who loved me first - (even more than my father) - For that I have always been amazed and grateful and loved and warmed and done my utmost to return - for the children, Mary, Grandfather John when he was alive, Elisabeth, Ruth, Emily, Natalie ......
(for Philip, as well as for everyone else who loved Philip -G&J)
We have created a Family, which I would argue would not have happened otherwise. I have done my absolute utmost -I have also prioritised Polkinghornes over Hannas - but that means nothing to Philip.
Philip is my life. We have BOTH been through ups and downs
[redacted]
No-one in my life has EVER loved me for me. Philip did that - and Philip is my soul mate. And that is the whole under foundation of my life.
We have been through some tough times. I thought we were a unit.
I have put phases of my career on hold for Philip and the Polkinghornes because there just physically is not enough time to do everything. And I have worked so very hard (as has Philip).
But because Philip is my life, that is what I wanted to do - and I have supported his career - he has gone from strength to strength.
I thought despite the ups and downs we still love each other and are aligned.
Two things happened and for the first time in 25 years I wonder if I have it right:
August 2018: Was when I left my cellphone at home and I emailed my whereabouts to Philip throughout the day, but he had returned negative prostate results - emailed me
at 7 pm that night and I was still at work . My response was not adequate and he hated me because I had not responded appropriately to him.
What he said to me that night was not only devastating - and there was lots of it -but the key thing that hurt, hurt, hurt, was "our last 25 years is a waste of time …."
It waf
incredible I almost (still) cannot take it in
Tonight: I have always put Polkinghornes first. We have created gorgeous children, two daughters in law, a grandson, two beautiful houses, I have huge tastes finnes, class - I look good, I represent as the wife of Professor Polkinghorne, extremely v fit in, do the thing" like Sue's the other night and the fancy dress, leave it to me.
thousand times over.
I know Philip has bailed me out financially but I also bank $4k per month in savings, what he does, but not nothing.
I have tried to do everything that is in me in "us", the children, the Polkinghornes, as well as trying to pursue a career. Clearly not enough.
3
Now my mother needs me. I have spend the weekend and it is totally soul destroying.
Am probably not as rational as I could be. Tired, devastated, Philip took me out for dinner which was magic (I have been wanting to be with him all weekend).
We'd been to the pool with John, Sherry and [redacted] - beautiful time. I took lots of photos of [redacted] and PJP - but [redacted] had his fist in his mouth for all - not brilliant, but gesture was there. Lovely afternoon.
Phillip tired, went to see Graeme, got caught up with taking John to NSH.
Went to dinner with my boyfriend. All good.
I talked too much in the car coming home.
The rest is ugly and I don't know what to do.
Then spend 30 seconds feeding cats before bring wine upstairs.
Then all hell breaks loose - I have not behaved as he wanted - and I cry - I am gutted, been holding it in for so long
Then that is wrong
And he is angry and doesn't want to know me or my issues or me for that matter
HURT HURT HURT-- in fact wrecked. All these years (27) did I get it wrong that he was the only person who truly loved me as his number 1.
I was number 1 in someone's life - as he was in mine - have we got that wrong?? God what a prospect - I cannot live if
that is the result that I got it wrong.
I try my gutz out for Philip and everyone - and there are days where nothing is right. He is my life so why does he not get that ? He picks me up when I am second fiddle 1 (actually 3rd) with the children - I spend hours trying to do the right thing by him. He
spends lots of time on my well being too - but why can't my efforts be as good as his to me? I don't know what to do. I do know that this is not sustainable for Philip or me.
I cannot express my love, admiration, return his love and that fact that I treasure the fact that he loves me first, more than all that I have done - I am lost....….
Mansfield has no further questions.
(NB: A few minor punctuation edits made to the letter for clarity.)
"I cannot live": Dramatic new letter from Hanna to husband emerges
Vera Alves
Defence lawyer Ron Mansfield takes the witness, Constable Madeleine Palmer, to another document, last accessed in August 2020, extracted from Polkinghorne's laptop.
There is a long pause as the witness looks at the document.
When was the document last received by him? asks Mansfield.
She replies it was created on April 3, 2019, on Polkinghorne's laptop - that's the date it was received.
To clarify, it was taken from his laptop but its author is Pauline Hanna, and the date it was created is March 3, 2019.
It's unclear how he received it other than that it's a word document.
It starts:"This is a letter to the person who loves me, I thought that person was you."
"I have not behaved as you wanted, I cry, I'm gutted," it says.
It goes on to say "Hurt hurt hurt, in fact wrecked".
"Did I get it wrong that he was the only person who truly loved me?"
"I cannot live if that is the result," she says.
Vera Alves
Defence lawyer Ron Mansfield continues his cross-examination of Constable Madeleine Palmer.
Mansfield asks if the witness is aware, as a police officer, if dating sites are sometimes used by escorts "whether they be male or female" to advertise their services.
She is not.
Now onto another email from Hanna.
He asks Palmer to read it. It appears to be sent to someone in the UK. It is not specified who is the recipient, but both her sister Tracey Hanna and her stepson Ben lived in the UK.
"Hi there how are you getting on? Still in blinking lockdown. Old Boris has made a real hash of it hasn't he?"
It goes on to complain about New Zealand's productivity in lockdown and says they have had a "shocker of a year with Covid and everything at Auckland Eye".
She goes on to say that "work is good" and various other mundane day to day updates.
The email was sent 12 weeks before Christmas.
Defence focuses on Pauline Hanna's search history
Vera Alves
Defence lawyer Ron Mansfield refers to deleted internet activity for Polkinghorne.
Constable Madeleine Palmer confirms she looked at that.
Did you look at Hanna's deleted search history? asks Mansfield.
Palmer is unclear.
Mansfield said we've heard a lot in the trail about Polkinghorne and his interest in sexual activities inside and outside of the marriage. He produces another document.
This document is to provide balance, says Mansfield.
He says we are going to hear evidence later in the trial about deleted web history on Hanna's laptop.
Palmer confirms there were quite a number of entries or results in the web history for pornography sites when she looked at Polkinghorne's laptops.
So if one searches the word sex on {Hanna's] laptop a number of results come up in her web history? asks Mansfield.
"Based on the document provided, yes," said Palmer
Did you do that search, asks Justice Lang.
"I can't recall your honour."
Mansfield produces the document, apparently based on the defence's own research of the hard drive of Hanna's laptop given to them as part of disclosure.
Another document he produces uses the word "escorts" as a search term in her web history and it yields two results, according to Mansfield.
Hanna's emails to Polkinghorne on the night before her death revealed to court
Vera Alves
Defence lawyer Ron Mansfield has produced emails between Polkinghorne and his wife, referred to as usual by the KC as "Mrs Polkinghorne".
One is an email from Hanna to Polkinghorne dated 28 March, 2021, reading "Darling, some notes, P xx"
This is a week before she died.
The email covers financial affairs of Auckland Eye.
It goes on to pose some questions to him for example how robust is the focus, has there been a sensitivity analysis, and why is the budget the same as the proceeding year given the effects of Covid in 2020?
Essentially it shows Hanna (who was a longtime DHB manager) providing feedback on financial documents of Auckland Eye, providing assistance to her doctor husband about questions he should ask.
Palmer, in response to a question from Justice Lang, said she doesn't recognise the document.
Mansfield said it was found on the hard drive police disclosed to the defence.
Mansfield asks if she saw a number of financial documents and reports sent to her on a daily basis by various Covid clinics.
Palmer confirms she did.
Mansfield asks if it was clear to her that Hanna was "pretty savvy" when it came to financial reports and documents.
Palmer agrees it was.
Mansfield now refers to more correspondence between Polkinghorne and Hanna.
The file, the second version of a document, was sent from Hanna to Polkinghorne on the evening of April 4, 2021. (That's the day before she was reported dead by Polkinghorne).
It is a proposed resignation letter.
Another email at 10.22pm reads "Darling here are my changes nothing of substance formatting formality right aligns see changes in yellow P Philip resignation letter 040421.doc".
"It looks like she's tidied up the document and sent it back to him?" asks Mansfield.
"Correct," said Palmer.
The last email Hanna drafted before she died is referred to by Mansfield. It is to Polkinghorne and the subject line is "does this work?" It relates to the same resignation letter.
She sent it back to him at 10.47pm.
Mansfield produces another document.
"Members of the jury, you're being drowned in paper," says Justice Lang, saying the court would try and get them some more folders.
The document produced is the one Polkinghorne and Hanna were working on the night before he reported to police she'd died, saying she'd hanged herself.
Jury returns after morning adjournment
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Court has resumed.
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Justice Lang takes the 15 minute morning adjournment.
Polkinghorne's plan for retirement
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Polkinghorne confirms it was his intention to retire the next year (2022) in his reply, being read by defence lawyer Ron Mansfield.
Having seen the departure of four shareholders, he had observed that some of the departures had turned into some of the most fraught issues the company had ever encountered.
He said he favoured a "clean break approach" and proposed a retirement date of 31 March 2022.
His mobile phone number he said was "widely known to patients ... to the chagrin of reception staff" and he proposed disposing of the number.
The letter goes on to say a part of the shareholders agreement had been grossly unfair, because the company had continued to receive money during Covid lockdowns when the shareholders couldn't earn and still had to pay expenses.
Cross-examination shifts focus to Polkinghorne's work woes
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Defence lawyer Ron Mansfield now turns the witness, Constable Madeleine Palmer, to a trust deed for Ophthalmic Trust Number 2.
As of 11 April 1995 the trustees were Philip Polkinghorne and his sister, Ruth Hughes, Mansfield says.
Onto the Auckland Eye shareholders agreement.
There were various different drafts of if on his computer.
Were you aware that around earl 2019 and certainly 2020, Auckland Eye was reviewing its shareholder agreement?
She's unclear, but the trial has already heard evidence to that effect.
Mansfield produces the Auckland Eye shareholders agreement for July 2020. It's one of the documents Palmer saw being emailed by Polkinghorne, the trial heard yesterday.
Palmer confirms she saw correspondence between Hanna and Polkinghorne confirming she was aware changes were going to be made to a trust deed.
Mansfield is using this cross-examination to try to provide context beneficial to his client to the masses of evidence adduced by this witness yesterday.
Mansfield refers again to an email from Auckland Eye board chair Mark Conelly dated 11 Feb 2021 at 9.54pm.
The trial earlier heard rom Conelly.
It expresses his condolences for the loss of his mother in law. Hanna's mother Fay died around this time. It goes on to discuss his retirement, and asks if they can "touch base for a broader discussion" around that, and the transition to a new shareholders agreement.
The email mentions dinner either that week or the following week. Conelly told the court earlier in the trial they had a dinner at the Northern Club. He also said Polkinghorne had appeared angry at a board meeting, and had not read the pre-circulated documents for the meeting.
Court back in session
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We are back after that brief and mysterious adjournment, apparently for the benefit of a juror. No one could blame them for flagging a bit after four busy weeks of evidence with dozens of witnesses.
And the Crown case is not over yet, it resumes now with more cross examination of Constable Madeline Palmer by Ron Mansfield KC, who is about to launch into a series of questions.
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Justice Lang has taken a very early break, it appears for the benefit of the jury, while Mansfield peruses documents.
It's unclear when we are back.
Cross-examination stays focused on Pauline Hanna's laptop
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Defence lawyer Ron Mansfield continues his cross-examination of Constable Madeleine Palmer.
Did you look at her deleted search history? asks Mansfield.
"I cannot recall," said Palmer.
We might come back to that, says Mansfield, before conferring with his junior Harrison Smith about something.
A pause.
He directs the witness to another page in her evidence booklet.
"As an adult we would accept wouldn't we that every relationship has its ups and downs?" asks the KC.
"Yes."
She confirms she was trying to look for evidence of the nature of the relationship.
How long have you been a police officer for?
Six years.
And you've attended a number of domestics were a beat constable?
She has.
"So you would have seen domestic arguments extend into yelling matches people losing control and using violence, correct?"
"Correct."
"And here in this case it appears that this couple at least at the point concerned in relation to these correspondence have sat down and penned correspondence to each other outlining what their respective positions were in relation to issues within the relationship?
"Correct."
Mansfield refers the witness to an email Hanna sent herself using her DHB work address.
Palmer agrees Hanna had a tendency to save documents this way, and they were sometimes documents outlining plans, such as to have a sit down to discuss their relationship.
It is from January 2, 2020.
It starts "I'm addressing this to my darling Philip" and continues "I know we've had some ugly times in the last 18 months".
(This is the letter you can read in full below, setting out Hanna's thoughts. The trial today heard there were several versions, with slightly differing intros and conclusions.)
It ends with Hanna saying right now she feels scared, confused and incredibly lonely.
Mansfield asks if the letter was sent prior to Christmas 2019. This would fit would evidence already heard, given Polkinghorne's letter refers to him going away at short notice over this Christmas, which was when Hanna became despondent and had to lie to his family about his whereabouts.
Palmer's evidence revels he went on some kind of self help course in Auckland instead of to Christmas with his wife and their family in the Coromandel.
Were you aware, asks Mansfield, whether he was there at Ring's Beach Christmas 2019 and when he arrived back at the bach?Palmer can't recall if she was.
But the earlier correspondence, he talks about returning to Ring's on the 27th?
Correct, says Palmer.
So do we have any idea when the correspondence was sent? "If it was sent?"
No, said Palmer, not from what she could learn from her review of the laptop.
Justice Lang interjects.
"If you look at [page] 29 half way down it says 'I've read the email you've sent me on 23 December?'"
Were you able to tell what was the final version (of Pauline's letter)? asks Mansfield.
It appears to be version five, the longest and most complete, and the access data is the latest, Palmer says.
Mansfield says he was just trying to help us all work out the order of things.
Defence quizzes detective on contents of Hanna's laptop
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Hanna's laptop was an HP located in the upstairs master bedroom of the Upland Rd, Remuera home, Palmer confirms.
Mansfield moves to the internet history, the searches in 2020, on October 28.
The times jump around a bit, says Mansfield, and the witness agrees.Is that because they're found on different parts of the computer? She can't say.
Mansfield moves to a search on November 24, 2020, by Hanna.
"Why do people trample over me?" she asked Google.
Did you pull up what she viewed on that occasion?
The only record is the search itself, said Palmer.
Mansfield asks if we know if it related relationships within the marriage or whether it was work colleagues or extended family.
No, we don't know, Palmer says.
Onto searches on October 6, 2020.
One search was for the newcomers page on an Alcoholics Anonymous website.
Palmer confirms it appears it related to a search about the 12 steps of the AA programme.
Is it 12 basic principles for alcoholics to adhere to to remain alcohol-free? Mansfield asks the trainee detective.
"Yes," she replies.
Defence begins cross-examination focused on Polkinghorne's laptop
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Defence lawyer Ron Mansfield is beginning his cross-examination of Constable Madeleine Palmer.
He asks what is the file or document she received to start her analysis. She confirms she did not extract the data from the laptop, that's done by the digital forensic unit.
Palmer says she receives a hard drive from the unit with what amounts to a clone of the laptop, which she searched for "relevant" material.
How did you define relevance? asks Mansfield.
She says she was looking for anything relevant to the mental state of the deceased.
Were you also looking for evidence about Polkinghorne and any extramarital affairs of his?
Yes.
Were you also looking, or was your colleague looking for, evidence of internet activity?
Yes.
The software she used is called AXIOM Examine, she says.
"I looked at everything," Palmer says.
The final report from Polkinghorne's laptop was about 1200 pages long, the trial heard yesterday.
She confirms to the KC she just looked at what the digital forensic unit made available on the hard drives.
Did she look for deleted documents as well as those saved? asks Mansfield.
Yes, says Palmer.
Mansfield is beginning to work through the various documents.
A note about our live coverage of the trial
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The Herald's live coverage is written by a reporter in court. Dictaphones are not allowed and no transcription tools or other such software is used. As a result, sometimes the evidence is abridged and paraphrased, especially when given at a fast pace.
Once evidence goes to the jury, such as the letters or images, we can obtain them from the court and republish them in full - such as the letters between the couple below.
Constable back in witness box
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Constable Madeleine Palmer is back in the witness box.
Her evidence is being led by prosecutor Brian Dickey.
Palmer is onto another word document found in her search of Pauline Hanna's laptop.
"Are we on the same page so to speak?" asks Dickey.
They are.
The document dates from January 5, 2020. It appears to be one of the letters, the one from Polkinghorne starting "Dearest Pauline".
While it was created January 5, it appears to be from an edit of an email dating December 23, 2019, Palmer said.
These are the emails before Polkinghorne went missing over Christmas to undertake a personal development course, leaving his wife despondent and having to lie to family about his whereabouts when she arrived at their bach at Ring's Beach, in the Coromandel.
There are several versions of the document, Palmer said, differing in their first and last paragraphs.
One version of the last paragraph said, to paraphrase, the letter was written as a defence to the criticisms Polkinghorne had directed at her.
Another Microsoft word document on Hanna's laptop was titled, to paraphrase, why and what's next.
It was created in October 2020.
"It appears to be self help in relation to marital affairs," Constable Palmer said.
Trial about to resume
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Court is about to resume with more evidence drawn Hanna and Polkinghorne's electronic devices on the last day of the fourth week of the murder trial.
The Herald live coverage observes a 10 minute delay between evidence being given and a post going up.
People are amassing outside courtroom 11. It's also Tongan language week, and the court security are today wearing taʻovala. One was being very patient with a woman who had come to watch the Polkinghorne evidence and was directing a series of questions at the security officer.
Trial to resume with more evidence from couple’s electronic devices
Vera Alves
Welcome to the Herald’s live coverage final day of week four of the murder trial of Philip Polkinghorne, the Remuera eye surgeon accused of killing his wife Pauline Hanna and staging the scene to look like a suicide. He maintains she hanged herself.
The Crown case continues and the jury has not heard how many witnesses the prosecution is still to call. On paper there are two weeks remaining of the six set aside for the trial but it’s anyone’s guess how long the defence case or the remainder of the prosecution evidence will take - defence lawyer Ron Mansfield has already signalled via cross examination he’ll be calling several experts.
At 10am Constable Madeline Palmer will return to the witness box. She examined electronic clones of Polkinghorne and Hanna’s laptops in 2021 as part of Operation Kian, the inquiry in to Hanna’s death.
Proceedings concluded yesterday with the jury hearing letters the couple exchanged roughly a year before her death (we have embedded the full letters in the blog below).
Polkinghorne admonishes his wife for what he calls her “contempt for money” and has a crack at her for not paying the rates on their Remuera home or Ring’s Beach bach.
The eye surgeon goes on to say he has developed strategies for coping with her, including travelling separately to the airport.
“I have come to the recognition, belatedly, that you are not going to change. I know by now the cycle of how we relate to each other, the verbal gymnastics, the overstepping of the boundaries, the barbs, and then the declaration of love, only to reboot the same pathway a week or month later.
“My options it seems are dead simple; either accept my lot or move on, apart.”
Hanna’s reply is a lot more warm, loving and conciliatory.
“You know I love you more than any other person,” she wrote.
She asks that if he wants to divorce her that he starts the process before January 31, 2020, saying: “I am 62 in February and I do not have a range of options. Right now I feel very scared, confused, sad and incredibly lonely.”
Before the letters were read, the court heard evidence of searches on Hanna’s laptop. In one, she asked Google “why do people trample over me?”
Earlier, the jury heard what Palmer found on Polkinghorne’s laptop. Here’s a summary:
- Polkinghorne and his wife were emailing about his resignation letter from Auckland Eye on the evening of April 4, 2021. He reported her dead on the morning of April 5, telling a 111 call-taker she'd hanged herself.
- The morning of April 4, he viewed a video of Madison Ashton, and the day before searched NZ Escort websites in the early hours. Polkinghorne and Aussie escort Ashton, who received $106,000 in internet banking transfers in the years prior from Polkinghorne, also exchanged emails about the delivery of furniture to Sydney in the days before Hanna died, the court heard.
- Police found a confidentiality document dated 2018 between Ashton and Polkinghorne, and a loan agreement indicating he was going to lend her money. He also bought her a washing machine, according to a receipt police found.
- Palmer said they found several videos of Ashton on the laptop. In one, she and Polkinghorne were engaged in sexual activity, the jury heard.
- Polkinghorne had a plan on his laptop for health and fitness goals to 2040. Among the goals was to stop using meth and cocaine.
Revealed: Hanna and Polkinghorne's full letters to each other before her death
Yesterday, the trial heard the letters Polkinghorne and Hanna exchanged before her death. They are reproduced below, in full:
What Polkinghorne wrote to Hanna:
Dearest Pauline, I have felt increasing devoid in the last few months from our relationship. I feel, rightly or wrongly that I am a spectator rather than a participant. My words seem to me continually either ignored or misinterpreted, to the extent I can no longer tell you of my aspirations, goals for the future, what I want to do, what I want us to consider. If I tell you something in confidence, I am fearful that you will mention it to another and that shall I say be used against me. I will not go into those numerous examples particularly relating to my election to the Auckland Eye Board.
But on more simple day to day stuff, I don't know how you will respond to an invite to sit in the library, how tired I might be, or concerns about one activity or the other. It seems to me you don't give me a chance to tell you something without you finishing my sentence, telling me you are more tired, or stating something as you leave the room, knowing I can't hear what you say.
More recently I feel any comment I make is answered with a barb. I am concerned you don't really listen to me. You don't want to know what I really think. I have tried on numerous occasions to discuss this with you, but inevitably it is after 9pm when you come back with a response that is usually negative. When I request a time which is less disruptive to me you invariably state you are not a morning person, ignoring the obvious that I don't want to discuss contentious issues after 8pm.
I believe I have continually tried to support you, your career, your material wants but don't feel you have any great interest in my opinion. I find often when I express my views you mount arguments against me e.g. wanting to put an offer on the Metropolis.
Then, just yesterday was the birthday for Graham in Whangarei; when we agreed you would find the location ?? Whangarei or Auckland, and then what time. Before I knew it you told Jude we are coming. When I asked why you would state that; you said initially you thought I wanted to go, later you said it was because you thought we had to go. Well I have tried getting Air NZ flights and a charter from Whitianga, but I cant. I will leave you to tell Jude I cant come, of course I wouldn't stop you from going.
In recent months I have acted increasingly to protect myself, I have as you may have noted. I have developed strategies to lessen my anxiety e.g. ordering an uber; when we agree I should order a taxi/uber to go home should you then change your mind, decide to delay your departure for whatever reason, I have now got an agreement/understanding when the ride arrives I will go and you can make your own way home. The same applies for catching an aircraft. I will meet you on the plane.
For many years you have asked what I want for Christmas and my stock answer has been to not ask me to borrow money from me. But in 2019, not only was that ignored but you went and got an overdraft as well. 2019 as you know was a difficult financial year for me because of the changes Ak Eye imposed in the taxes, my income reduced to approximately twice your salary. But right up until last week you were stating I hadn't taken you to Australia as much as in previous years. My response was in 25 years you have never taken me to Australia, ever! But then you have also stated you spent, I cant remember the figure you quoted, but in excess of 25K for the Europe trip earlier in 2019. I dont know how that figure came about but if you remember Liz contributed $10K to the airfare so to spend $2,500 a day seems a bit unfathomable as I certainly paid for a number of meals, the car rental, and the hotel in Paris.
In 25 years I don't think you have ever paid for the rates, water bill, insurance etc either at Upland Rd or Rings Beach, or your car for that matter. Bills that I left for you e.g. the Institute of Directors went unpaid and tragically lead to your membership being cancelled continue to pay the insurance on your car and organize the servicing and pay the speedingand parking fines. I think it was only 2 months ago I succeeded in getting your Middlemore parking payments automatically deducted from your salary instead of me paying your account.
Again, as I have said numerous times, I don't want to lend you money, I don't want to take money out of your account next "Wednesday", I have other demands on my time and as happened at the end of November there wasn't enough money in your account to re-imburse me anyway. Yes, your contempt of money does annoy me, even stating your flights are free beggar's belief knowing it is the use my "airmiles" that is paying for those Nights, dare I say denying me a discounted flight. I have come to the recognition, belatedly that you are not going to change. I know by now the cycle of how we relate to each other, the verbal gymnastics, the overstepping of the boundaries, the barbs, and then the declaration of love, only to reboot the same pathway a week or month later.
My options it seems are dead simple; either accept my lot or move on, apart. To help me, yes me, I have enrolled in a 3-day course called "Moving on or Up", starting tonight in Auckland. I am leaving in a few minutes and I am sorry I haven't prepared everything at the Beach.
I don't know what the outcome of this retreat will be but to be frank without some sort of insight I am sure I will not be able to continue. If there is a pill to make it easier, don't worry I would take the bottle!!
(Reprinted with only minor punctuation tweaks.)
What Pauline Hanna told her husband
Here is the full text of Pauline Hanna’s 2020 email to her husband Philip Polkinghorne, just read to the court by a police constable:
"l am addressing this to 'My Darling Philip'.
You know I love you more than any other person. You are my life, along with the family we have partnered to nurture and love and create a fabulous family life. I have gone out of my way to do that and we have many, many memories, happiness (and yes sometimes unhappy times) but not outside the realms of parenthood.
I believe I have been a good daughter-in-law, sister-in-law and aunt – I believe the Polkinghorne wider family love me and I them. Now that it is largely you and me, I was of the view that we have a really exciting, vibrant time ahead for the next 30 years, doing many of the things we love together, spending more time at the Beach, being grandparents and really enjoying – together – the fruits of all that the two of us have done. I still have bucket loads of love - I think you do too.
I have read this email and reread it so many time and the devastation I feel that I appear to have let you down so badly.
I am gutted you feel you cannot talk to me – we talk most nights and have had hundreds of in-depth discussions and fun – talking about the now and the future – not always, but very frequently – and to hear now you don't feel you can do that – I don't know what to say and I don't know how it happened.
I know we have had some ugly times in the last 18 months – each time I attempt to take on board what you ask of me – I am by no means perfect and you say people don't change, that is correct but you can modify. For example I keep my car full, I keep $50 note in the passenger visor, I attempt to keep my car clean (I know it is not now), I have never been dirty but take on board your criticism about my handling of food, I have my text messages chime so I cannot miss your text, I make an effort to be on time ( sometimes I fail). I take my dishes down to the dishwasher in the morning, accumulate the washing so I am not using the washing machine overly. I don't every wear my bodysuits other than to work, I strive to make you proud of my work effort/ethic, I attempt to pre-empt your difficult days by encouraging you when you are in theatre, doing the dinner when I know you are tired, preparing the types of things I think you like.
l am sorry you don't think I should have paid for us to go to Sydney – firstly most of it was to do with "what happened when we went over there i.e. with Elle etc" – not saying anything more.
Yes you do spoil me – and THANK YOU – I didn't know that the $ were being stacked up in terms of "He" and "Hers".
Money is a big issue – you do take the lion's share of the load- but this email from you. I completely acknowledge your contribution and opportunity you have afforded the children and me.
However it reads as if I am a totally selfish person who contributes nothing financially – that is truly unfair – I do put my $4k away a month and the Hanna/Polkinghorne trust earns approx. $1k per month. I do shop for groceries, I do shop for things for the house, I do get flowers etc to make it nice.
I do buy you things – I do buy family gifts– I take and collect your drycleaning (or at least used to – you don't let me now as you put it under your own name!), I don't wear body suits, I don't pick up the glasses by their upper rim etc etc as you keep criticising me.
l am so sorry – you are everything to me and you have changed. I haven't, but clearly I have not read your signals.
If you want to make a change (i.e. Divorce) – please make it now before 31 JANUARY so that I can make arrangements – I am 62 in February and I do not have a range of options.
Right now I feel very scared, confused, sad and incredibly lonely.
(Only minor puncuation edits made for clarification.)
🎧 LISTEN | Accused: The Polkinghorne Trial
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STORY CONTINUES
The laptops revealed a couple grappling with relationship turmoil: Hanna’s suspicions about infidelity, Polkinghorne’s frequent searches for sex workers and his money and attention directed at Sydney escort Madison Ashton. It also included a sex tape of Polkinghorne and Ashton and a 2019 “goal setting” document of the surgeon’s in which he listed one of his immediate goals to “avoid cocaine, marijuana, heroin, LSD, methamphetamine”.
But the March, 2019 document by Hanna was the most direct reference jurors have seen to self-harm.
The “I cannot live” reference is the fourth-to-last paragraph in the three-page document, which appears to have been last viewed by Hanna on August 29, 2020. The letter concludes:
“I try my gutz out for Philip and everyone – and there are days when nothing is right. He is my life so why does he not get that? He picks me up when I am second fiddle I (actually 3rd) with the children – I spend hours trying to do the right thing by him. He spends lots of time on my well-being too – but why can’t my efforts be as good as his to me? I don’t know what to do. I do know that this is not sustainable for Philip or me.
“I cannot express my love, admiration, return his love and that fact that I treasure the fact that he loves me first, more than all that I have done – I am lost.......
“???????”
Defence lawyer Ron Mansfield noted that “all of their lives are being shared with the community through this trial”, but the letters appeared to be “private communications between a couple who seem at that point to have their issues”. It’s something the jury should bear in mind, he suggested.
Palmer also referred again today to a pair of letters the couple wrote each other, both with creation dates listed as January 2020. But she confirmed today that the letter from Polkinghorne appears to have been penned in late December 2019, a period jurors have heard about frequently in which Hanna reportedly told friends she couldn’t find her husband over Christmas and had to lie to his family about his whereabouts.
“I have felt increasingly devoid in the last few months from our relationship,” the lengthy letter began.
“I have come to the recognition, belatedly that you are not going to change,” he continued after listing numerous criticisms of Hanna, including her spending habits when he earned twice her salary. “I know by now the cycle of how we relate to each other, the verbal gymnastics, the overstepping of the boundaries, the barbs, and then the declaration of love, only to reboot the same pathway a week or month later. My options it seems are dead simple: either accept my lot or move on, apart.”
The letter ended with him stating he was leaving immediately for a three-day “Moving on or Up” retreat.
“I don’t know what the outcome of this retreat will be but to be frank without some sort of insight I am sure I will not be able to continue,” he wrote. “If there is a pill to make it easier, don’t worry I would take the bottle !!!”
During cross-examination of Palmer this morning, Mansfield pointed out not all couples pen letters to each other when traversing the ups and downs of their relationships. Palmer agreed that she had been on numerous callouts during her career when disagreements instead resulted in domestic violence.
Mansfield also noted there were five different drafts of Hanna’s response to the letter found on her computer.
The first version ended: “If you want to make a change (i.e. divorce) please make it now before 31 JANUARY so that I can make arrangements. I am 62 in February and I do not have a range of options. Right now I feel very scared, confused, sad and incredibly lonely.”
Future drafts did not include that paragraph, although a similar line was added to the start of the letter: “However right now I feel very incredibly scared, confused, sad and lonely therefore I apologise if this is not as coherent as you may wish.”
The final draft of Hanna’s response ended: “I love you without reserve, foibles and all – and ask that you do the same and that we enjoy each other again as partners, best friends, confidants as well as lovers. You say my actions do not demonstrate any of this – I am asking you to reconsider based on what I have discussed.
“I am sorry you are so low – you are everything to me and it hurts me too that you are suffering.”
Mansfield also directed the constable during cross-examination to an internet search of Hanna’s four months before her death: “Why do people trample over me”. The lawyer asked the witness if she knew if the search pertained to the couple’s relationship or to work colleagues. She said she didn’t.
One aspect of Polkinghorne’s defence is that Hanna’s depression had been amplified at the time of her death due to her high-stress job helping to oversee the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Mansfield also noted that searches of his client’s laptop found plenty of pornography but “to provide some balance” he pointed to web searches Hanna had conducted for “sex”, “escorts” and “dating”.
The trial is set to continue this afternoon before Justice Graham Lang and the jury.
Craig Kapitan is an Auckland-based journalist covering courts and justice. He joined the Herald in 2021 and has reported on courts since 2002 in three newsrooms in the US and New Zealand.
The Herald will be covering the case in a daily podcast, Accused: The Polkinghorne Trial. You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, through The Front Page feed, or wherever you get your podcasts.