Ron Brierley shuffles down Sydney street after release from jail on child porn offences

Multi-millionaire corporate raider Ron Brierley was once feared across Australia, the United Kingdom and his native New Zealand as a ruthless businessman.

Three years ago he was caught attempting to board a plane in possession of thousands of child abuse images and five months ago he was released from prison.

On Friday the 84-year-old was spotted alone and looking forlorn in Sydney’s eastern suburbs with his head down, slowly making his way along Bronte Road at Waverley.

Brierley was wearing shorts and leaning heavily on a walking stick as his shuffled past Waverley Local Court and police station.  

Once-feared corporate raider Ron Brierley was spotted shuffling through Sydney’s eastern suburbs on Friday, five months after he was released from prison. Brierley was caught in possession of more than 40,000 images of child pornography in 2019

Brierley was alone and walked with his head bowed as he slowly made his way along Bronte Road at Waverley. The 84-year-old was wearing shorts and leaning heavily on a walking stick

Brierley was alone and walked with his head bowed as he slowly made his way along Bronte Road at Waverley. The 84-year-old was wearing shorts and leaning heavily on a walking stick 

It has been a long fall for the man once officially known as Sir Ron who founded Brierley Investments in 1961 and amassed a fortune of estimated at $200million.

Brierley was stopped by Australian Border Force officers at Sydney Airport as he was preparing to board a flight to Fiji about 6.30am on December 17, 2019.

‘The man’s carry-on luggage was searched before the contents of his laptop and electronic storage devices were reviewed, which are alleged to have contained large amounts of child abuse material,’ police said.

A search was then conducted of his $30million home Wunulla Road, Point Piper, where thousands more images – many of them duplicates – were found. 

Brierley pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing child abuse material related to more than 40,000 images of prepubescent girls in swimwear, underwear or other clothing, and sexually suggestive poses.

He also had in his possession two sexually explicit stories involving child victims and an image of a naked girl posing on a bed.

Brierley was knighted in 1988 (pictured) and is a former trustee of the Sydney Cricket Ground. He retired from business in June 2019 after a career spanning 60 years. His knighthood has been revoked

Brierley was knighted in 1988 (pictured) and is a former trustee of the Sydney Cricket Ground. He retired from business in June 2019 after a career spanning 60 years. His knighthood has been revoked 

Brierley was stopped by ABF officers at Sydney Airport as he was preparing to board a flight to Fiji on December 17, 2019 and found to be carrying child abuse material. A search of his $30million home Wunulla Road, Point Piper, located thousands more images

Brierley was stopped by ABF officers at Sydney Airport as he was preparing to board a flight to Fiji on December 17, 2019 and found to be carrying child abuse material. A search of his $30million home Wunulla Road, Point Piper, located thousands more images

Brierley’s arrest followed a four-month investigation by detectives after an anonymous tip-off in August 2019 and the charges led to him being stripped of his knighthood.

He was originally jailed for 14 months with a non-parole period of seven months but successfully had that sentence reduced to four months in the Court of Criminal Appeal due to his deteriorating health. 

Barrister Tim Game SC had referred to the inability of Long Bay jail’s medical services to deal with the aftermath of the removal of skin cancers from Brierley’s leg.

While a dermatologist had said the aging prisoner needed to be hospitalised for three weeks after surgery which included a skin graft, he was returned to his cell on the same day.

Brierley pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing child abuse material related to more than 40,000 images of prepubescent girls in swimwear, underwear or other clothing, and sexually suggestive poses

Brierley pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing child abuse material related to more than 40,000 images of prepubescent girls in swimwear, underwear or other clothing, and sexually suggestive poses

Despite the need for dressing changes on his large wound, Brierley had to rely on help from another inmate and the stitches broke open.

‘The resources of Justice Health to deal with a geriatric prisoner are stretched beyond capability, at least with respect to this man,’ Justice Des Fagan said.

Brierley, whose original non-parole term would have expired on May 13, was released on February 13.  

At the peak of his business power Brierley was famed for spotting companies which were rich in assets and poor in returns for investors.

He would swoop in to take over such business and restructure them, cutting costs to return strong profits. 

Brierley was involved in moves on supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths, department store David Jones, Adelaide Steamship Company and Air New Zealand. 

Brierley Investments became one of New Zealand’s most successful listed companies; at its peak about 150,000 of his countrymen and women owned shares.  

FROM THE $200M MAN KNOWN AS ‘THE MASTER’ TO CHILD PORN SHAME: WHO IS RON BRIERLEY?

Sir Ron Brierley was born in New Zealand and became a feared corporate raider

Ron Brierley was born in Wellington in New Zealand and became a feared corporate raider in his homeland, Australia and the United Kingdom. 

Brierley launched RA Brierley Investments in 1961 and was known to staff as ‘The Master’.

He was famed for spotting companies which were rich in assets and poor in returns for investors. 

Brierley would swoop in to take over such business and restructure them to return strong profits. 

He was involved in moves on supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths, department store David Jones, Adelaide Steamship Company and Air New Zealand.

Brierley Investments was the largest company in New Zealand by market capitalisation in 1984 but faltered in 1987 after the share market crash. 

According to BRW’s Rich List, Brierley was worth $160million the day before the crash. New Zealand’s NBR 2019 Rich List put his wealth at $200million.

Brierley became chairman of Guinness Peat Group in 1990 and lead well-known corporate raider Mercantile Investments from 2015.

He announced his retirement in June 2019 citing health reasons.

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