Philip Polkinghorne at day 1 of his trial for the murder of his wife at the High Court at Auckland. Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
Warning: This story mentions suicide and intimate partner violence.
- Pauline Hanna's husband, Philip Polkinghorne, has denied killing her in their Remuera home in April 2021, and staging her death as a suicide
- Polkinghorne earlier pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine and a pipe
- The Crown's argues a combination of financial problems, infidelity and drug use led to Polkinghorne murdering his wife
- The defence argues Hanna ended her life after struggling with depression for many years
Pauline Hanna looked up asphyxia and anorgasmia in 2019, a police detective says.
At the High Court in Auckland on Monday, the murder trial of Hanna's husband, Philip Polkinghorne, resumed.
He is accused of murdering her and staging her death as a suicide.
The defence argues Hanna committed suicide after struggling with depression for many years.
Crown prosecutor Brian Dickey asked Detective Andrew Reeves about web searches on Hanna's iPhone 8, which she used up until her death.
Reeves said on 28 December 2019, she looked up 'anorgasnia'. Reeves clarified that he believed 'anorgasmia' was the correct term.
A day later on 29 December, she searched the term asphyxia.
Reeves said there were no searches in relation to suicide or self-harm on Hanna's phone.
He said she contacted a mental health support team on 23 December 2019, and arranged to meet with a councillor. But there was no follow up communication about this meeting.
Reeves said Hanna also searched for apartments for sales in the Napier suburb of Ahuriri.
Earlier in the trial, the court heard Hanna's friends urged her to leave Polkinghorne and move back to Hawke's Bay.
He said Hanna had also searched 'P pipe', 'What does P look like?', and 'What sensation does P give you?'.
Reeves said there were two photos of interest taken on Hanna's phone on Christmas Day in 2020; one of two meth pipes in a shopping bag, and another of a meth pipe.
At the beginning of the trial, Polkinghorne pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine and a pipe.