Emerald court: Kerry Leigh Harrold sentenced for child sex offences

A prominent Central Queensland businessman has been jailed for child sexual offences dating back to the early 2000s.

A prominent Central Queensland businessman has been jailed for child sexual offences dating back to the early 2000s.

Kerry Leigh Harrold, 43, was sentenced in Emerald District Court on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, after he pleaded guilty on September 12 to a slew of sexual offences against children under 16-years-old.

Harrold was charged with one count of indecent treatment of a child under 12, three counts of indecent treatment of a child under 16 and one count of maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child.

The exact dates of the offending are not known but the court heard Harrold’s offending began in 2005 and ended in 2008.

The court heard there were multiple victims involved in the offending.

Harrold’s matter was heard in Emerald District on Thursday, September 8, 2022 when he did not appear in court in person and was initially pleading not guilty.

On that day the court heard from his Honour Judge David Kent KC that Harrold was to appear in Emerald District Court for a trial before a jury on Monday, September 12, 2022.

But the morning the trial was due to start, Harrold changed his plea to guilty. He had served no time in prison before his sentencing.

Judge Kent KC sentenced Harrold to a head sentence of two years and six months imprisonment, suspended for an operational period of three years after serving nine months, and a probation order of three years.