Philip John Polkinghorne in the Auckland High Court. Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
A police constable has been quizzed in court about nail clippings and forensic swabs, in relation to the death of an Auckland woman allegedly killed by her eye-surgeon husband.
Philip John Polkinghorne, 71, is on trial for the murder of Pauline Hanna, who was found dead in April 2021 in the Remuera home they shared.
The Crown earlier argued that Polkinghorne was trapped in financial misuses, infidelity and drug abuse, that that the combined effects could have led him to a sudden outburst of anger that killed Hanna.
The defence disputed these claims, arguing that Hanna took anti-depressants and that it was a sad case of suicide.
The court heard yesterday from paramedics and police who were first on the scene, and how officers raised their suspicions within hours of arriving.
Among those giving evidence was Detective Constable Brooke Everson, who was at the time the officer in charge of ensuring the integrity of Hanna's body at the scene and its transportation to the mortuary.
Everson said she saw Hanna lying on her back in a white dressing gown.
She said Hanna had markings on her neck, as well as signs of other injuries.
"So there appeared to be a cut to the left side on the bridge of her nose... it appeared reasonably fresh it wasn't scabbed over or anything, and there was blood coming out of her left ear. There appeared to be some sort of bruising to her right thigh, just above her knee, on the inner thigh," she said.
Everson said there was also blood on Hanna's left hand, between her fingers.
She said paper bags were place over Hanna's hands and feet, to preserve any forensic material when her body was taken to the mortuary.
Police collected finger nail clippings, two blood samples and swabs from Hanna's neck, she said.
The court earlier heard from a St John ambulance responder that they saw Polkinghorne had a fresh graze on his forehead.
Defence lawyer Ron Mansfield KC cross-examined Everson on the purpose of collecting the nail clippings.
"The purpose of taking the clippings is so that they can be examined forensically to see if there's any DNA of another person, underneath those fingernails, correct?"
Everson said "It is a possibility, that we can do that, yes".
Mansfield probed further asking: "So for example if there'd been a struggle or a fight, or someone was defending themselves, then the offender's DNA might be underneath those, the fingernails of the deceased".
To which Everson replied: "It may be, it may not be."
Mansfield also questioned Everson about an acrylic nail and tin foil which were found in the pocket of Hanna's dressing gown, and hair pins Hanna was wearing, which Everson confirmed were "intact" in Hanna's hair.
Mansfield asked Everson about the purpose of the swabs taken from Hanna's neck.
"So they're in order to secure any DNA that might exist on the neck of Mrs Polkinghorne, correct?" he asked, to which Everson confirmed they were taken for further testing.
"And you would be wary, even though you're not a scientist that if somebody comes into contact with another person, they might leave behind their DNA, correct?" he asked further.
Everson said that was a "possibility".
More police officers are expected to give evidence as the trial continues on Wednesday.
