Philip Polkinghorne (centre) arrives at the High Court in Auckland with his lawyer Ron Mansfield. Photo: NZME/Michael Craig
A retired eye surgeon charged with murdering his wife has pleaded guilty to meth charges ahead of his trial starting in Auckland today.
The High Court trial of Philip John Polkinghorne has begun with selection of the jury panel.
Polkinghorne arrived in court dressed in a suit and surrounded by his legal team, including Ron Mansfield KC.
Before the trial began, Polkinghorne pleaded guilty to two charges that had been suppressed until today - possession of the class A drug methamphetamine and possession of a pipe, at the time his wife died.
He now faces one charge of murder.
Pauline Hanna, who was 63, was found dead in the Remuera home she shared with her husband in April 2021.
Unexplained for more than a year, her death in the upmarket Auckland suburb captured the nation's interest.
Police charged Polkinghorne, who is now 71, with murder 16 months after his wife's death.
