True Crime

The Trial

by Stuff Audio

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Latest episodes

The closing arguments - murder or suicide?

September 25, 2024 · 1 hr 1 min

The defence and the prosecution present their final arguments after nearly two months of evidence. The Judge delivers a summing up and gives the jury directions before they retire to consider a verdict. WARNING: This podcast references…
‘I'm never good enough’

September 23, 2024 · 50 min

For the first time, the court hears emails, found by the defence, that Pauline Hanna wrote to herself. Psychiatrists talk about the possible impact of the mix of medication she was taking. IT experts are at odds over whether texts were…
Injuries and interpretations

September 20, 2024 · 49 min

Expert defence pathologists offer different conclusions about the cause of death to their Crown counterparts. Colleagues at Auckland Eye describe Polkinghorne as kind and generous. And we hear from the “fishing boys”, who knew “Polky” from…
‘There was no murder’

September 16, 2024 · 32 min

As the defence case begins, Polkinghorne’s lawyer describes the police as being “intoxicated” with the idea of murder, and cautions the jury against being distracted by evidence about sex and drugs. Pauline Hanna’s sister says Hanna told…
‘I haven't come this far to walk away’

September 11, 2024 · 1 hr 2 min

Details of Philip Polkinghorne’s relationships with wife Pauline Hanna and Sydney-based sex worker Madison Ashton emerge when police scrutinise their digital devices. Among their discoveries, thousands of sexual images, and personal…

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‘Some things are going to come out’

September 9, 2024 · 33 min

As the Crown case nears its end, a close friend and colleague alleges Polkinghorne made sex and meth admissions that “shocked” her. There are questions about tensions in the operating theatre, financial stress and positive meth tests at…
The disappearing mark

August 30, 2024 · 41 min

Two pathologists face detailed questions about the significance of a mark on Pauline Hanna’s neck, with one asked why they didn’t mention it in their autopsy report. The court hears more about Hanna’s medical history, including her use of…
‘He wants to have sex with everybody’

August 27, 2024 · 52 min

In a recording played to the jury, Pauline Hanna talks about the state of her marriage to eye surgeon Philip Polkinghorne and their sex life. Close friends recall her sharing an alleged strangulation threat by her husband. The defence…
‘She’s never hit me, I’ve never hit her’

August 21, 2024 · 40 min

The jury hears Polkinghorne for the first time as the prosecution plays his police interview from the day his wife died. While answering questions about his marriage to Pauline Hanna and her state of mind, he receives a call informing him…
An unprecedented search

August 16, 2024 · 37 min

With Philip Polkinghorne being interviewed at the police station, detectives decide to step up their search of his house. Amid tests for fingerprints, DNA and blood - a hunt dubbed unprecedented by the detective sergeant in charge of the…
Code 1C for suspicious

August 10, 2024 · 31 min

As detectives comb the home of Philip Polkinghorne and Pauline Hanna, questions quickly emerge about the rope involved in her death. The jury hears Polkinghorne’s summary of his wife’s final day alive. WARNING: This podcast references…
'My wife's dead'

August 1, 2024 · 29 min

On Easter Monday 2021, police were called to the home of a successful professional couple in the affluent Auckland suburb of Remuera. They found the body of Pauline Hanna. In his emergency call, her husband, Philip Polkinghorne, said she…

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About the show

Stuff Audio, New Zealand’s award-winning leader in true crime podcasts, presents The Trial. Stuff’s expert journalists spend weeks at High Court hearings and pore over hundreds of hours of recordings to deliver compelling and in-depth insights into some of New Zealand’s most intriguing cases - as they happen. NEW: Season 2 - Police are called to the multi-million dollar Auckland home of a successful couple to find the body of Pauline Hanna. A year and a half later, her husband, eye surgeon Philip John Polkinghorne is charged with murder, a charge he denies. Presented by Philippa Tolley. Season 1 - In 2017 49-year-old builder Michael McGrath disappeared. No body, crime scene or weapon were found. So how could his longtime friend, David Benbow, be arrested and charged with murder? Presented by Michael Wright. Sound design/audio editing: Connor Scott; executive producer: Chris Reed WARNING: This show talks about suicide and content that may upset some people. If you need help, text or call 1737, 24 hours. Podcasts like this one take a lot of time and resources to create. To help cover some of that cost, you will hear some ads during this podcast. For an ad-free experience and early access to new episodes subscribe to Stuff Extra. Subscribe on Apple or Spotify, or go to listen.stuff.co.nz/extra to get access to this and other Stuff True Crime podcasts ad-free… and you’ll be helping us make more great podcasts, like this one.