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Brierley planning to appeal sentence

Disgraced businessman Ron Brierley, jailed for 14 months for possessing thousands of images of prepubescent girls, has signalled that he will appeal his sentence. The former Knight Bachelor, 84, was sentenced in a Sydney court earlier this month, having pleaded guilty to three charges of possession of child abuse material. The Supreme Court of New South Wales has confirmed that a notice of intention to appeal has been filed with the Court of Criminal Appeal, giving Brierley 12 months to file the actual appeal. Brierley’s lawyer earlier said his fall from grace had been radical. He said Brierley had been diagnosed with a hoarding disorder, and also outlined medical issues, including severe coronary artery disease, deterioration in his mobility, and vascular dementia. Judge Sarah Huggett said a sentence of imprisonment was required. She did not accept that Brierley did not know that the images were illegal. She outlined his health difficulties, but did not think they should keep him out of prison. Judge Huggett said there had been consequences, with Brierley’s significant contributions ‘‘literally expunged’’.

National News

en-nz

2021-10-27T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-10-27T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://stuff.pressreader.com/article/281651078316128

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