Remuera murder case: Philip Polkinghorne, accused of killing wife Pauline Hanna, in court for bail matter

Retired Remuera eye surgeon Philip Polkinghorne, who is accused of having murdered his wife, returned the High Court at Auckland today as his lawyer asked for a change to his bail conditions.

The 69-year-old was arrested in August, 16 months after the death of Pauline Hanna inside their $4 million home.

During his first court appearance last month, Auckland District Court Judge Andrea Manuel allowed Polkinghorne to be released on bail as he awaits trial in 2024. But to do so he needed to surrender his passport, abide by a 10pm to 6am curfew, not purchase or consume illegal drugs, have no contact with Crown witnesses and choose one of his two homes as his primary residence - staying either there or at his mother's house.

Revisiting the conditions today at the request of defence lawyer Ron Mansfield, KC, Justice Ailsa Duffy focused on the curfew requirement.

Polkinghorne's curfew hours will remain in place, the judge decided. But police will now be restricted to doing in-person curfew checks from the hours of 10pm to midnight, either by showing up at his door or via video call.

The reasons for the judge's decision and the discussion among lawyers during the brief hearing that preceded it cannot be reported due to restrictions outlined in the Bail Act.

Polkinghorne was not required to be in attendance during the hearing, but he sat in the courtroom gallery with a laptop in his lap and a white fedora by his side.

Prior to the surgeon's arrest last month, police had repeatedly described the Easter Monday death of Hanna, 63, as "unexplained".

Surgeon Philip Polkinghorne is charged with the murder of his wife, Pauline Hanna. Photo / Michael Craig

Polkinghorne released a statement shortly after his arrest.

"I am shocked that the police have charged me," he said. "I have recorded that I am not guilty immediately. Now that the Police have charged me the matter is before the courts and I am not permitted to comment further.

"The justice process must now run its course and I trust the truth will be shown. I thank my family and friends for their enduring love and support."

Polkinghorne, who formerly worked as a doctor at Auckland Eye, retired following his wife's death on April 5, 2021.

Hanna had worked in various roles in the public health system, including as an executive project director at Counties Manukau District Health Board and aiding with the Covid-19 vaccine rollout.

"Pauline was larger than life," her younger sister, Tracey, said at her funeral. "She had tenacity and determination, all that good stuff she deeply cared about. Not to disappoint was, I believe, her driving force."