Philip Polkinghorne. Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
- Pauline Hanna's husband, Philip Polkinghorne, has denied killing her in their Remuera home in April 2021
- Polkinghorne had earlier pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine and a pipe
- The Crown's case is that a combination of financial problems, infidelity and drug use led to Polkinghorne murdering his wife during a violent struggle at their home
- The defence argues Hanna committed suicide after struggling with depression for many years, and being stressed in her work during the Covid-19 pandemic response
The chief executive of a retired Auckland eye surgeon's workplace says Philip Polkinghorne frequently fell asleep at meetings in the year before his wife's death and on one occasion, appeared aggressive.
Polkinghorne is on trial for murdering Pauline Hanna in 2021 and staging it as a suicide.
He has previously pleaded guilty to methamphetamine use and possessing a pipe.
Former chief executive of Auckland Eye, Deborah Boyd, told the High Court at Auckland Polkinghorne was disengaged at board meetings, often seeming to be asleep, through 2020.
At a shareholder meeting in 2021, where Polkinghorne attended online, Boyd said he was standing, and appeared agitated, hyperactive and aggressive.
"We were in the Auckland Eye boardroom and he was attending via Zoom," she said.
"He was just extremely agitated, often up on his feet, not his usual self really, quite agitated and aggressive in the language he was using."
"Almost hyperactive behaviour," Boyd said.
She said several of the other directors commented about Polkinghorne's behaviour and that she had not seen him act in that way before.
"We'd just be in the middle of a board meeting or shareholder meetings and you'd just notice that he'd dozed off at times and wasn't participating in the meeting," Boyd said.
"He appeared to be, I would say, asleep, not engaged in what was happening.
"Certainly his eyes were shut and he wasn't participating in the conversation."
The Crown's Pip McNabb asked Boyd about the methamphetamine pipe found in retinal laser room at Auckland Eye in 2020.
It had been found by a nurse and was handed in to Auckland Eye's operations manager Tracey Molloy.
The pipe was thrown in the bin, before being recovered the next day when police were alerted.
Auckland Eye conducted their own investigation, including searching through CCTV footage to try and track who came and went from the room the pipe was found.
While being questioned by Polkinghorne's defence lawyer, Ron Mansfield KC, Boyd admitted the rooms were not secured.
"There would be nothing to prevent other staff, and or maintenance, and or cleaners having access to a consult room," Mansfield asked.
He put to Boyd that there was no way of knowing who had been in and out of a room or who has used them, expect for name cards placed on room doors when specialists were using them.
Boyd agreed.
Mansfield continued asking Boyd about a strategic planning day held by Auckland Eye, producing minutes that showed Polkinghorne's engagement during the meeting at parts which concerned him.
"We can agree, can't we, that for the very bit that's relevant to Doctor Polkinghorne, there's a record that shows he's awake, alert and in fact registering his disagreement," he said.
"Yes," responded Boyd.
The trial continues.
