Bennett Russell Maynard-Brown in court charged with possessing extremist material, but says he is now a Muslim

A man who allegedly downloaded a video of the Christchurch massacre says it was an “accident” – and is now a Muslim. Watch his statement here.

A man accused of downloading a video of the Christchurch massacre says it was “an accident” and a “complete misunderstanding” – and that he is now a Muslim.

Bennett Russell Maynard-Brown, 32, of Glenelg East, faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with one count of being in possession of extremist material.

Court documents allege Maynard-Brown committed the offence at Gilles Plains, north of Adelaide, on February 16 this year.

Outside court however, Maynard-Brown insisted he had not deliberately broken the law.

“It was just a video of the Christchurch massacre, which was wrong, very wrong, for me to have,” he told reporters. “It was downloaded off Facebook by accident.”

Bennett Russell Maynard-Brown outside the Adelaide Magistrates Court after being charged with possessing extremist material. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

Asked if he supported the gunman’s ideology, he replied: “no, not at all, I’m a Muslim now.

“I converted last year, last October, I’m, you know, a Muslim, so the complete opposite of the monster in that video,” he said.

“It was a complete misunderstanding, it was a mistake, I didn’t even realise I had it.”

In court, counsel for Maynard-Brown noted it was their client’s first time before the court and asked the case be adjourned.

They also asked his bail conditions be varied, saying he had moved house since his arrest.

Maynard-Brown was remanded on his new bail agreement to face court in August.