Philip Polkinghorne. Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
One of the detectives investigating the alleged murder of an Auckland woman by her eye-surgeon husband has been quizzed on police's approach to the scene examination.
Philip Polkinghorne is on trial for the murder of Pauline Hanna at the couple's Remuera home in April 2021.
His defence argues Hanna died by suicide.
Defence lawyer Ron Mansfield KC cross-examined detective senior sergeant Chris Allan on whether he had told a forensic expert to treat the scene with a "homicide focus" the day after Hanna's death on 6 April.
Allan said he felt that was more of a reference to how the scene was treated rather than how the investigation was treated.
"I don't think that's quite accurate to say that homicide focus is pre-determined at that point, it was more in relation to this is the approach we're taking to the scene examination and the collection of evidence," he said.
Allan said while he treated the case with an "open-mind", a de-escalated approach may have led to missed opportunities.
Defence lawyer Ron Mansfield KC. Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
Mansfield KC also quizzed Allan on the length of the scene examination at the couple's home in Remuera.
He asked why police held the scene until 15 April, when it was his understanding that the scene examination itself had concluded on 13 April.
Allan said there was an "element of oversight" in terms of completing the scene examination, and he referred to his notes where he recorded at the time that police conducted a "walk-through" at the house with a crown solicitor.
He also pointed to cleaning that needed to be done at the house, such as removing luminol used for the testing of blood that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
Mansfield took aim at why police decided to do the "walk-through" around the time of Hanna's funeral, when evidence and photographs had already been extensively collected.
He asked Allan to confirm that no charges were laid after that walk-through but 16 months later, in August 2022, to which Allan said yes.
Mansfield pointed to the fact police had conducted inquiries around 79 residential homes and businesses, and spoke to women whom Polkinghorne had a relationship with - this was again confirmed by Allan.
