All Access. All in one subscription. From $2 per week
Subscribe now

All Access Weekly

From $2 per week
Pay just
$15.75
$2
per week ongoing
Subscribe now
BEST VALUE

All Access Annual

Pay just
$449
$49
per year ongoing
Subscribe now
Learn more
30
NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Business

Sir Ron Brierley case: Delay as detectives search 25,000 extra images for child abuse

Other
6 Aug, 2020 07:37 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Sir Ron Brierley is due to appear in court charged with alleged possession of child pornography
Former business tycoon Sir Ron Brierley is due to appear in court charged with alleged possession of child pornography. Video / David Fisher ...
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
0:00
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time -0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
    • captions off, selected

      This is a modal window.

      Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

      Text
      Text Background
      Caption Area Background
      Font Size
      Text Edge Style
      Font Family

      End of dialog window.

      This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

      What will happen to petrol prices as tensions escalate in Middle East

      UP NEXT:

      Autoplay in
      3
      Disable Autoplay
      Cancel Video
      Former business tycoon Sir Ron Brierley is due to appear in court charged with alleged possession of child pornography. Video / David Fisher
      NOW PLAYING • Sir Ron Brierley is due to appear in court charged with alleged possession of child pornography
      Former business tycoon Sir Ron Brierley is due to appear in court charged with alleged possession of child pornography. Video / David Fisher ...

      Detectives are poring through thousands of newly discovered images following the arrest of Kiwi businessman Sir Ron Brierley on child porn charges, a court has been told.

      Brierley, 83, of Point Piper, was mentioned in Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday after being charged with six counts of possessing child abuse material.

      The Kiwi-born retired multi-millionaire was arrested by police when he was about to board a flight to Fiji at Sydney airport last December after a tip-off to Crime Stoppers.

      Police allege in court documents Brierley possessed photographs and videos of young girls aged between around 2 to 15 along with word documents of typed stories that spoke of the rape of children.

      Read More

      • Sir Ron Brierley court case: Prosecutors to review child abuse material charges - NZ Herald
      • Sir Ron Brierley charges 'relate to 200,000 photos and 500 videos of alleged child abuse' - NZ ...
      • Sir Ron Brierley child porn charges: New details emerge - NZ Herald
      All Access. All in one subscription. From $2 per week
      Subscribe now

      All Access Weekly

      From $2 per week
      Pay just
      $15.75
      $2
      per week ongoing
      Subscribe now
      BEST VALUE

      All Access Annual

      Pay just
      $449
      $49
      per year ongoing
      Subscribe now
      Learn more
      30
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      The court was told authorities had seized 20 electronic devices and had already sifted through more than 680,000 images to look for child abuse material after his arrest.

      In court, prosecutor Kenny Ng asked for an adjournment because police needed more time to examine more computer files after at least 25,000 extra images were discovered in July.

      Sir Ron Brierley video from outside courthouse
      Sir Ron Brierley video from outside courthouse. Video / David Fisher ...
      Video Player is loading.
      Current Time 0:00
      /
      Duration 0:00
      Loaded: 0%
      0:00
      Stream Type LIVE
      Remaining Time -0:00
       
      1x
        • Chapters
        • descriptions off, selected
        • captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
        • captions off, selected

          This is a modal window.

          Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

          Text
          Text Background
          Caption Area Background
          Font Size
          Text Edge Style
          Font Family

          End of dialog window.

          This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

          What will happen to petrol prices as tensions escalate in Middle East

          UP NEXT:

          NOW PLAYING • Sir Ron Brierley video from outside courthouse
          Sir Ron Brierley video from outside courthouse. Video / David Fisher ...

          "It's a matter that involves a very large amount of electronic material," he said

          "I'm told by the (officer in charge) that there are another 44,000 photos that require analysis.

          Advertisement
          Advertise with NZME.

          "I'm asking for eight weeks so that those materials can be extracted and analysed."

          However, Brierley's defence lawyer Lisa-Claire Hutchinson said prosecutors could instead use a representative sample of the material seized to speed up the court process.

          "No satisfactory explanation has been offered for the delay," she said.

          "There is no complexity to the access of these devices, we're talking about USBs, tablets.

          Discover more

          New Zealand|crime

          Tinder date rape trial: 'He simply didn't care whether they consented or not'

          07 Aug 08:26 PM
          Lifestyle

          Trolls toy removed from shelves after 'paedophilia' claims

          08 Aug 01:55 AM
          New Zealand|crime

          Pair face 10 years in prison for 'brutal' child abuse images, abuse, bestiality video cache

          13 Aug 12:35 AM

          "The option was available to the prosecution to proceed on the basis of a representative sample and they have chosen otherwise."

          Magistrate Michael Antrum questioned the delay but agreed to adjourn the matter.

          "It's in circumstances where there is a substantial number of alleged images of child abuse material," he said.

          "It surprises me that an individual review is taking place (of all the images).

          "That's a matter of the discretion of the director (of the DPP) … I understand the time sought today in the scheme of things is not unreasonable."

          Sir Ron Brierley. Photo / File
          Sir Ron Brierley. Photo / File

          The matter will return to court on September 17.

          Advertisement
          Advertise with NZME.

          Police looked into the former Sydney Cricket Ground Trust board member and high-flying businessman after a tip to Crime Stoppers in mid-2019.

          A passionate cricket fan, Brierley's wealth has been valued at over $100 million.

          He was knighted in 1988 for his services to business.

          - The Daily Telegraph (Australia)

          Save

            Share this article

          Latest from Business

          Business

          RBNZ predicted to hold rates steady, could big banks face OZ-style levy?

          Business|personal finance

          Why your Lego collection could boost your investment portfolio

          06 Jul 07:00 PM
          Premium
          Small Business

          On The Up: From fishing shows to first aid - Parachute First Aid's unique journey

          06 Jul 05:00 PM

          Audi offers a sporty spin on city driving with the A3 Sportback and S3 Sportback

          sponsored
          Advertisement
          Advertise with NZME.
          Recommended for you
          Dixon secures unlikely victory to keep consecutive win streak alive
          Motorsport

          Dixon secures unlikely victory to keep consecutive win streak alive

          06 Jul 07:55 PM
          Long Covid voices sidelined in pandemic inquiry hearings
          New Zealand

          Long Covid voices sidelined in pandemic inquiry hearings

          06 Jul 07:51 PM
          Kiwi golfer takes home $285k after strong finish
          Golf

          Kiwi golfer takes home $285k after strong finish

          06 Jul 07:40 PM
          Seymour, Willis to face questions on Regulatory Standards Bill and tax settings
          New Zealand

          Seymour, Willis to face questions on Regulatory Standards Bill and tax settings

          06 Jul 07:37 PM
          Community rallies after worst Motueka deluge in 150 years
          New Zealand

          Community rallies after worst Motueka deluge in 150 years

          06 Jul 07:21 PM

          Latest from Business

          RBNZ predicted to hold rates steady, could big banks face OZ-style levy?

          RBNZ predicted to hold rates steady, could big banks face OZ-style levy?

          2degrees Business with BusinessDesk's Garth Bray.

          Why your Lego collection could boost your investment portfolio

          Why your Lego collection could boost your investment portfolio

          06 Jul 07:00 PM
          Premium
          On The Up: From fishing shows to first aid - Parachute First Aid's unique journey

          On The Up: From fishing shows to first aid - Parachute First Aid's unique journey

          06 Jul 05:00 PM
          Premium
          Balancing power: What the employment law changes mean for you

          Balancing power: What the employment law changes mean for you

          06 Jul 05:00 PM
          Gold demand soars amid global turmoil
          sponsored

          Gold demand soars amid global turmoil

          NZ Herald
          • About NZ Herald
          • Meet the journalists
          • Newsletters
          • Classifieds
          • Help & support
          • Contact us
          • House rules
          • Privacy Policy
          • Terms of use
          • Competition terms & conditions
          • Our use of AI
          Subscriber Services
          • NZ Herald e-editions
          • Daily puzzles & quizzes
          • Manage your digital subscription
          • Manage your print subscription
          • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
          • Subscribe to Herald Premium
          • Gift a subscription
          • Subscriber FAQs
          • Subscription terms & conditions
          • Promotions and subscriber benefits
          NZME Network
          • The New Zealand Herald
          • The Northland Age
          • The Northern Advocate
          • Waikato Herald
          • Bay of Plenty Times
          • Rotorua Daily Post
          • Hawke's Bay Today
          • Whanganui Chronicle
          • Viva
          • NZ Listener
          • Newstalk ZB
          • BusinessDesk
          • OneRoof
          • Driven Car Guide
          • iHeart Radio
          • Restaurant Hub
          NZME
          • About NZME
          • NZME careers
          • Advertise with NZME
          • Digital self-service advertising
          • Book your classified ad
          • Photo sales
          • NZME Events
          • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
          All Access. All in one subscription. From $2 per week
          Subscribe now

          All Access Weekly

          From $2 per week
          Pay just
          $15.75
          $2
          per week ongoing
          Subscribe now
          BEST VALUE

          All Access Annual

          Pay just
          $449
          $49
          per year ongoing
          Subscribe now
          Learn more
          30
          TOP
          search by queryly Advanced Search