Warning: This story mentions potential suicide.
The Crown has described Philip Polkinghorne as his wife's greatest love and her greatest vulnerability as they close their case into her alleged murder.
Dr Polkinghorne is accused of killing his wife Pauline Hanna and staging the scene as suicide, while the defence argues Hanna took her own life.
He had previously pleaded guilty to methamphetamine charges.
Crown prosecutor Alysha McClintock gave her closing address in the High Court at Auckland, telling the jury Polkinghorne would belittle his wife.
"You've seen evidence of him doing that in In his letter to her about his spending, and about, it seems in her response to him, trivial things he would pick at her about," McClintock said.
She said Hanna expressed concerns around the doctor's infidelity, and told friends and family about the difficult sexual relationship the pair had.
"He was the husband who she apologised to family for when he was 'on the roof' or 'on the ceiling', made excuses for him, papered over things for him, time and time again.
"Hoping it would get better perhaps, trying to be better perhaps.
"The husband who sent her seemingly loving and flirtatious text messages one minute, and then seemed to be able to become angry and 'beastly' as she called it at home."
McClintock accused Polkinghorne of taken steps to manipulate the narrative, disparaging Hanna to their friends.
In one conversation, she said Polkinghorne had claimed the methamphetamine found in their Upland Road home belonged to Hanna, and that she supposedly "wouldn't just f*** one man, she'd f*** the team".
McClintock said the defence's argument of suicide was at odds with everything Hanna was doing at that time.
"So when you're assessing the question of whether she was suicidal on 4 April, I suggest it's fundamentally at odds, despite the thoughts and the medications, with what the evidence tells us on the night of the 4th of April that she was suicidal at that time."
The Crown argued that Hanna, someone who the court has heard was incredibly well 'put together' and cared a great deal about her appearance, would not have committed suicide in such a dishevelled manner, draped in nothing but a robe where she was found dead.
McClintock said that evidence indicated Hanna was in a good mood around the time of her death.
"Witnesses, colleagues, friends, bosses, colleagues of her husbands, and her GP, who all say 'look as far as we were concerned she was fulfilled, she had purpose through her work and her grandchildren, through her family and her friends, and she's still trying with her marriage'."
"There is no evidence at all of a trigger for her to commit suicide...
"There's plenty of triggers for an argument between her and her husband."
Despite the challenges of their marriage, the Crown could not deny that Hanna loved Polkinghorne.
"The Crown does not and has not contested that she loved him," McClintock said.
"It's clear that she loved him, for all his many faults, she loved him. She loved him dearly.
"She kept trying to better herself to make him happy.
"The great tragedy of all of this is that her love for Dr Polkinghorne ultimately cost her her life."
Closing statements from the Crown continue on Monday afternoon.
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- Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
- Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357
- Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO (24/7). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
- Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (24/7) or text 4202
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- Youthline: 0800 376 633 (24/7) or free text 234 (8am-12am), or email talk@youthline.co.nz|
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- Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254
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- OUTLine: 0800 688 5463 (6pm-9pm)
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
