Philip Polkinghorne, who was charged with and acquitted of murdering his wife, has been sentenced to community work after a judge said the maximum available fine wouldn't be enough.
Polkinghorne was sentenced today for possessing methamphetamine and a methamphetamine pipe.
They're charges he pleaded guilty to just as his murder trial got underway in late July.
The retired eye surgeon, 71, was the centre of a high-profile eight-week trial at the High Court in Auckland.
Retired eye surgeon was convicted and discharged for possessing a methamphetamine pipe. (Source: 1News)
The Crown accused him of murdering Pauline Hanna and staging the scene to look like a suicide.
A jury found him not guilty of murder and manslaughter.
Polkinghorne returned to the High Court this morning with his three lawyers, his sister Ruth and son Taine.
Crown Prosecutor Alysha McClintock said the amount of meth found was 370 individual doses worth $13,000.
She told Justice Graham Lang his DNA, and only his DNA, was found on "a multitude" of containers.
McClintock also said Polkinghorne only pleaded guilty immediately before the trial.
Polkinghorne's lawyer, Ron Mansfield, urged the judge to convict and fine him.
He said Polkinghorne had not used meth since his wife's death, and there was no need to deter him from further use.
Justice Lang told Polkinghorne he did not accept Pauline Hanna got the drug.
He said there was no evidence in the trial she used methamphetamine.
The judge said the amount of meth found gives some indication of how Polkinghorne must have been using.
He told Polkinghorne that, given his healthy financial situation, a fine would not be a deterrent to hold him properly to account.
Justice Lang also told Polkinghorne he did not plead guilty until his trial started.
He added Polkinghorne sought to minimise his involvement by bringing his late wife into the equation.
Polkinghorne was sentenced to 150 hours of community work for the meth possession.
He was convicted and discharged for possession of the pipe.
Speaking to media outside court today, McClintock said she did not have any comment about the sentence itself but said: "The justice system has done its job.
"It's the judge's job to pass sentence for the offending that Dr Polkinghorne pleaded guilty to."
She said the saga had been “one of the longest” prosecutions she had seen in “quite some time”.
“I guess we’re pleased to reach this point where all steps have been carried out, and the matter is brought to a conclusion.”
As they left court, Mansfield was asked if it was a fair sentence and said: "We're happy with it.
"There's been a lifetime of community work by this man so another 150 hours won't do any harm."
Pauline Hanna's brother Bruce Hanna said the family are "pleased he has finally got a conviction but would have liked to see jail time".
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