One of Philip Polkinghorne's ex-colleagues has this morning described what happened when a methamphetamine pipe was found in the offices of Auckland Eye, where Polkinghorne worked, months before Pauline Hanna died.
Warning: This article contains content that could be disturbing to some people.
Polkinghorne is accused of murdering Hanna, his wife — but he has argued her death in April 2021 was a suicide.
He pleaded guilty ahead of the trial to possessing meth and a meth pipe.
Today at the High Court in Auckland, the jury heard that a meth pipe was found in a room at Auckland Eye in October 2020.
It was found on a Monday morning while staff were setting up for the week ahead. The pipe was put in the bin at one point after its discovery, the court heard, before later being retrieved again.
Deborah Boyd, former chief executive of Auckland Eye, said the company asked a lawyer to investigate.
CCTV footage from over the weekend was reviewed, particularly focused on the corridor outside the Retinal Laser Room where the pipe was found. The cameras didn't capture the room's door, she said.
The tape showed "Philip had gone down there" among others, Boyd said.
A number of people — including the witness — had been in to the building that weekend.
"We weren't aware that there was anyone taking drugs at Auckland Eye at that time," she said.
Ultimately, the lawyer couldn't establish who had left the pipe there. It was dropped off at a police station and forgotten, Boyd said.
"We were unsure what had occurred so we didn't think about it any further, really, after the investigation was completed," she said.
"So it couldn't be taken any further and it wasn't?" defence lawyer Ron Mansfield asked.
"No," the witness replied.
Last week, another of Polkinghorne's co-workers told the court she was left stunned when he revealed he was using meth and then told her she should try it. The revelation was made on the day before his wife's funeral.
Susan Ormonde said she "absolutely" reported this back at Auckland Eye despite Polkinghorne confiding in her as a friend.
After being told, Boyd organised for the premises to be drug-tested in July 2021. The test picked up traces of meth.
'I backtracked and closed the door'
Janet Wigmore also worked at Auckland Eye and found the meth pipe, she told the court.
"Yeah, I found it," she said. "I was a health and safety rep, I was taking two staff around to show them the ropes.
"It was just inside the door [of the Retinal Laser Room].
"There was a little brownish table immediately on your right as you come through the doorway.
"There was a glass pipe and a lighter."
Wigmore said she, "backtracked and closed the door and continued doing the safety briefing".
Then, she went and told another colleague. "She came with me to have a look at it. We weren't quite sure what to do."
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