Pauline Hanna

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Case Details

Crime: Murder / Death (Contested death — acquitted defendant)
Location: Remuera, Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Date: 2021-06-05
Victim(s): Pauline Hanna
Perpetrator(s): Philip Polkinghorne (charged, acquitted 2024)
Motive: Prosecution alleged Polkinghorne wanted to pursue relationship with sex worker and access wife's estate
Verdict: Philip Polkinghorne acquitted of murder, August 2024. Jury accepted reasonable doubt.
Evidence: Crime scene reconstruction, forensic pathology (contested cause of death), digital evidence from Polkinghorne's phone showing escort bookings, financial analysis
Episodes: 0
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On 5 June 2021, Pauline Hanna was found dead by hanging at her Remuera home. Her husband, prominent eye surgeon Philip Polkinghorne, was charged with her murder. Prosecutors alleged he staged a suicide to cover murder, motivated by his secret life booking escorts and desire to access her estate. Polkinghorne was acquitted by jury in August 2024. The trial attracted massive media attention, with Stuff's Accused podcast providing extensive coverage. The case remains controversial.

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