Philip Polkinghorne trial: Two messages drafted on Pauline Hanna's phone on the morning of her death

Tuesday, 27 August 2024

Warning: The details of this case may be distressing for some readers.

In the early hours of the morning Pauline Hanna was found dead in the entranceway of her Remuera home, logs were found on her phone that showed two messages had started being typed out but were never sent. One was to her husband, Philip Polkinghorne, and one to her friend’s daughter.

The drafts of these messages were revealed in evidence by Polkinghorne’s lawyer, Ron Mansfield, as he continued his cross-examination of the detective tasked with inspecting the couple’s devices.

Detective Andrew Reeves said he was not an IT expert and therefore couldn’t confirm the logs, however it appeared the iMessages were drafted and not sent. The contents of the messages are unknown.

Hanna was found dead in the entranceway of the couple’s Remuera home on April 5, 2021. Polkinghorne, now 71, has denied killing her, saying she died by suicide.

The Crown’s case is that Polkinghorne fatally strangled Hanna before reporting her death to police as a suicide. It argues he was living a double life, obsessed with meth and in a covert relationship with Ashton.

Polkinghorne’s defence is that Hanna was exhausted by work-related stress, had a history of mental health issues, was on medication, and tragically took her own life. Ahead of the trial, he pleaded guilty to methamphetamine related charges.

No sign of conflict between Hanna and Polkinghorne

Detective Andrew Reeves returned to give evidence for a third day with Mansfield continuing his cross-examination

.

Mansfield asked about the messages between Polkinghorne and Hanna in the days prior to her death. He handed out two large booklets with the messages.

“I did review the messaging, it was uneventful day to day stuff,” Reeves said.

“Did those messages reveal any conflict between the two of them leading up to her death on 5 April?” Mansfield asked.

“I didn’t see any of that,” the detective replied.

Mansfield asked why, despite the detective having provided 7 formal written statements, he had not included Hanna’s email work-related history and a review of the messaging going on between the couple.

“No, I reviewed the themes on Hanna’s phone…” Reeves said.

Mansfield then took the court through numerous messages exchanged between Polkinghorne and Hanna.

They often started with “Hi darling” or “Hello big boy” and both Hanna and Polkinghorne signed off their messages with “Pxx”.

The messages exchanged were of general communications, checking in on each other, trips to the supermarket, getting meat out for dinner and informing each other of various meetings.

However, there was one message from Hanna in February 2020, that Reeves admitted he overlooked.

“I have the most horrible two weeks. But the only response from me was the respond to you…do you want me I. Your life.? I have gone thru major upheaval and change with no recognition from you. So do you you want us to go forward it leave me.? Up to you. You are calling the shots. I don t want us to oart [sic]. P xxxx”

The following day Hanna sent a subsequent message.

“Hi darling sorry about my rant. I had too much to drink and was sad and lonely. I miss you and need ya. P (heart emojis).”

Another message is sent by Hanna where she again apologises and asked for forgiveness.

“Just as I do you when you are over wruaght [sic] and in an emotional state. You don’t mean what you say. Neither do I.”

Mansfield continued reading through numerous messages.

“We see consistent messaging between the two of them showing interest between each other, inquiring and expressing their love?” Mansfield asked.

Detective Reeves agreed.

Last messages between couple

The last messages exchanged between the pair were in the days leading up to Hanna’s death.

On April 2, Hanna texted Polkinghorne to say the supermarket and Westfield Newmarket was shut.

Later in the exchange he messaged: 'Losing the will to live?' with a number of emojis. Hanna replied 'yep'.

On April 3, the pair spoke about a friend who was unwell.

'Thanks darling. I will make something to take to them tomorrow. I did grab something from at the supermarket and just had a cup of coffee. They are nearly ready!! Will call after I have dropped off at ADHB. P (three heart emojis),“ Hanna sent in a message.

Polkinghorne replied 'gosh'.

Then the last message Hanna sent was on April 4 at 6.17pm.

'On my way back. P (three heart emojis).

Two drafted messages morning of Hanna’s death

At 4.04am on April 5, Hanna's phone drafted an iMessage to Polkinghorne, but the message was deleted and never sent, Mansfield told Reeves.

A minute later, the phone also drafted a message to the daughter of one of her friends.

Mansfield said that, according to what he understood from an IT expert, a log will be created for an iMessage even if the message is never sent.

Reeves said he was not an IT expert and he was not aware of technicalities regarding this log.

'If that is as you say then the person using the phone, it would appear it would do that. I can’t speak to that.'

Mansfield suggested it was Hanna who was using the phone at the time.

'She had a very simple password,' Reeves replied.

'Are you trying to advance the position that it was someone else other than her?' Mansfield asked.

Reeves accepted that whoever the user was had drafted a message and then not sent it, but the log didn't reveal any more details.

Reeves was asked if he checked the technicalities with an IT expert.

'I did, but I didn't understand,' Reeves said.

'Bit odd': Polkinghorne's phone switched to airplane mode

In the early hours of the morning of April 5, 2021, at 1.11am, Polkinghorne's phone switched to 'airplane mode'.

“I found that a bit odd,' Reeves said.

Reeves said it stood out to him as Polkinghorne's phone had previously only switched to 'airplane mode' for a period of 25 minutes, not seven hours like on this occasion.

Mansfield suggested the switch to 'airplane mode' could be accidental.

'It takes a couple of swipes to activate it, but it could be accidental,' the detective replied.

At 8.05am, there was an attempt to make a call on the mobile phone and then at 8.06am 'airplane mode' was switched off.

Polkinghorne told police previously he'd tried to call 111 but it wouldn't go through so he used the landline.

The trial, before Justice Graham Lang and a jury, continues.