Body modifier Brendan Leigh Russell receives prohibition order ahead of sentence

As the Erina Fair body modifier awaits sentence for manslaughter, the healthcare watchdog has slapped him with a lifetime ban. It comes as the mother whose daughter’s death was caused by Brendan Russell breaks her silence.

The Central Coast body modifier awaiting sentence for manslaughter will no longer practice regardless of how long he spends in jail.

The Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) has issued Brendan Leigh Russell with a “permanent prohibition order” ahead of his sentence on July 4.

In November 2021 Mr Russell – who went by the name BSlice – was found guilty of manslaughter, intentionally causing grievous bodily harm and female genital mutilation relating to procedures performed on three women, including two at his studio at Erina Fair between 2015 and 2017.

In one of the procedures, Russell removed part of a woman’s labia with a branding iron and performed a botched tummy tuck on another.

Mr Russell arriving at the Downing Centre, Sydney in 2021. Picture: James Gourley

The HCCC has also been investigating Mr Russell’s behaviour as a body modification provider.

In the findings, the HCCC state that Mr Russell was “conducting invasive surgical procedures and administering sedation” as a non-registered health practitioner.

“Mr Russell was charged with criminal offences relating to services provided to three clients,” the HCCC findings read.

“One related to the removal of part of a client’s labia. Another related to the death of a client following a subdermal implant of a silicone object into the client’s right hand. Mr Russell also performed abdominal surgery on another client making incisions into her abdominal tissue to remove fat.”

Two of Mr Russell’s victims had procedures carried out at his Erina Fair shopfront. Picture: Sue Graham

The HCCC state that Mr Russell posed a risk to the health and safety of the public.

While an interim prohibition was placed on Mr Russell during court proceedings, the HCCC has changed it to a permanent prohibition order from providing any health services.

It comes after Mr Russell, 39, faced Sydney District Court this week via audio visual link from a Sydney prison where the mother of one of his victims spoke out.

The woman, whose daughter died from septicaemia after Mr Russell inserted a snowflake implant into her hand, described him as a “monster” as she read her victim impact statement.

Her daughter, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was found dead inside her Central Coast home after having a synthetic snowflake implant inserted into her hand.

Body modification artist Brendan Russell was known as “BSlice”.

Images from the Instagram page belonging to BSlice Body Modification, the online moniker of Brendan Russell.

“My daughter is dead … and yet Brendan Russell has still not shown the slightest remorse any time, nor has he accepted any responsibility for her death,” she said.

“If she were here she would say ‘I trusted him’.

“I miss my daughter with every breath and can’t begin to describe how we feel every day … I don’t get to hold my baby ever again.”

Another of his victims told the court of her anger and disbelief over what she had endured.

“I want to take this opportunity to tell you Brendan that you were not qualified to do that to me, you were not qualified to do that procedure,” the woman said.

“You did not care what could have happened to me. My sons could have lost their mother but you didn’t care. Traumatised is the only word that comes to mind.”

Mr Russel was found guilty following a judge-alone trial in the NSW District Court and is currently in custody at Parklea Correctional Centre.