About this podcast
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.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 27 episodes
- Trailer: Quarantine Nation · 3 minA lethal virus. A drastic lockdown. A nation turned upside down. From the makers of acclaimed podcasts The Commune, True Story and Witi Underwater, this eight-part narrative…
- Polkinghorne Bonus: Sentenced on drug charges · 10 min · Season 2In the final chapter of the trial of Philip Polkinghorne, the former Auckland eye surgeon found not guilty of murdering his wife, he has been sentenced to 150 hours of community…
- Polkinghorne E13: The Verdict · 25 min · Season 2 Episode 13After nearly two months and more than 80 witnesses, the jury returns with their finding in the murder trial of Philip Polkinghorne. WARNING: This podcast references suicide right…
- Polkinghorne E12: The closing arguments - murder or suicide? · 1 h 0 min · Season 2 Episode 12The 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…
- Polkinghorne E11: ‘I'm never good enough’ · 50 min · Season 2 Episode 11For 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…
- Polkinghorne E10: Injuries and interpretations · 49 min · Season 2 Episode 10Expert defence pathologists offer different conclusions about the cause of death to their Crown counterparts. Colleagues at Auckland Eye describe Polkinghorne as kind and…
- Polkinghorne E9: ‘There was no murder’ · 32 min · Season 2 Episode 9As 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…
- Polkinghorne E8: ‘I haven't come this far to walk away’ · 1 h 1 min · Season 2 Episode 8Details 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…
- Polkinghorne E7: ‘Some things are going to come out’ · 33 min · Season 2 Episode 7As 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…
- Polkinghorne E6: The disappearing mark · 41 min · Season 2 Episode 6Two 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…
- Polkinghorne E5: ‘He wants to have sex with everybody’ · 52 min · Season 2 Episode 5In 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…
- Polkinghorne E4: ‘She’s never hit me, I’ve never hit her’ · 40 min · Season 2 Episode 4The 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…
- Polkinghorne E3: An unprecedented search · 37 min · Season 2 Episode 3With 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…
- Polkinghorne E2: Code 1C for suspicious · 31 min · Season 2 Episode 2As 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…
- Polkinghorne E1: 'My wife's dead' · 29 min · Season 2 Episode 1On 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…
- Polkinghorne trailer · 1 min · Season 2Police are called to the multi-million dollar home of a successful couple to find the body of Pauline Hanna, also known as Pauline Polkinghorne. A year and a half later, eye…
- Benbow Bonus 2: Benbow's new legal battle · 1 min · Season 1 Episode 10There’s another twist in this trial. Stay subscribed to hear the latest developments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Benbow Bonus 1: 'I despise you' - the victims speak · 11 min · Season 1 Episode 9Almost seven years after murdering his mate Michael McGrath, David Benbow is sentenced for his crime. But not before facing McGrath's loved ones in court, including the third…
- Benbow E8: Resolution · 24 min · Season 1 Episode 8After months of evidence from dozens of witnesses across two trials, the jury returns - with a verdict. Michael McGrath's family reacts and Martin Van Beynen offers expert…
- Benbow E7: The retrial of David Benbow · 46 min · Season 1 Episode 7With the jury in the original trial unable to reach a verdict, David Charles Benbow finds himself back in the dock. And three key areas of evidence are updated as the prosecution…
