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A corporate raider known for his executive roles at several investment funds has been charged for allegedly possessing child abuse material, following a four-month investigation from NSW Police.
Several mainstream news outlets have reported NSW Police confirmed the man charged was Sir Ron Brierley, a New Zealand-born businessman who was reportedly detained in Sydney International Airport as he was about to board a flight to Fiji.
"In August, detectives from Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command commenced an investigation into the possession of child abuse material in the local area," NSW Police reported in a release this morning.
"Following extensive inquiries, an 82-year-old man was stopped by Australian Border Force (ABF) officers at Sydney International Airport about 6.30am yesterday (Tuesday 17 December 2019).
Police were contacted, and detectives arrived a short time later.
"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," NSW Police said.
"The Point Piper man was taken to Mascot Police Station and charged with six counts of possess child abuse material."
Brierley has been granted strict conditional bail and is due to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on Monday 10 February 2020.
The executive was formerly chairman of New Zealand-based holding company Guinness Peat Group (GPG) and is still a director and major shareholder at Sandon Capital (ASX: SNC) and Mercantile Investment Company (ASX: MVT).
Brierley retired from his role as Mercantile Investment chairman following a takeover bid from Sandon in mid-2019.
Both Sandon and Mercantile put out identical press releases noting they were aware of media reports of Brierley's arrest but were not in a position to comment further.
Lead Photo: Brierley's knighting ceremony in Wellington in 1988 courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
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