Ron Brierley: Disgraced corporate raider in ‘extreme ill health’ behind bars, court told

A court has reached a decision in the appeal of disgraced businessman Ron Brierley, who was last year jailed for possessing child abuse material.

Disgraced businessman Ron Brierley will be released from jail next week after successfully appealing his sentence for possessing child abuse material.

Lawyers for the fallen former corporate raider detailed his dire health behind bars – including a cancer on his leg and serious cognitive decline – as they asked the NSW Supreme Court to release their client from jail early.

Brierley, a former head of the Bank of New Zealand and ex-SCG Trust board member, was last year jailed for 14 months for possessing a trove of child abuse material in 2019.

His sentence was due to expire in May.

Ron Brierley confessed to possession of child abuse material. Picture: Damian Shaw

But on Tuesday the appeal judges quashed his initial sentence and instead ordered a new jail term with a non-parole period expiring on February 13.

Brierley’s barrister Tim Game SC detailed a large body of medical material explaining how his client was “not coping” in custody.

The court was told Brierley had complained of a pain in his leg when he went to custody and upon examination it turned out to be a cancerous growth.

He had the lump removed but did not remain in hospital.

A cellmate was left to help keep Brierley’s leg waterproof while in the shower, but the court was told the stitches broke.

Mr Game said Brierley was exhibiting signs of dementia and his cognitive function was declining.

“He is a person in extreme ill health, in isolation within the general prison population,” Mr Game said.

Mr Game said his client was only showering every 10 days due to concerns of slipping in the shower, had suffered conjunctivitis and a urinary tract infection.

Brierley (pictured in earlier years) will be released from jail next week after successfully appealing his sentence in the NSW Supreme Court.

He asked the court to consider releasing him within the future by varying his parole period or by imposing a community corrections order to allow him to be treated in an aged care facility.

The appeal judges quashed the initial sentence, imposing a new jail term dated back to October 21 last year with a non-parole period of four months.

Brierley’s spectacular fall from grace began when he was caught with thousands of images on his laptop and two USBS when he was stopped at Sydney Airport en route to Fiji in December 2019.

Thousands more were found at his Point Piper home by police.

The files did not depict cruelty, torture or children engaged in sexual acts but did depict children as young as four – with Brierley admitting he used the images for his own sexual gratification.

A judge rejected his claims he did not know the images were illegal.

During the ensuing fallout, Brierley’s name was struck off from buildings and schools and he was stripped of his 1988 knighthood.