Mackay police officer Mark Andrew Lewer is facing child exploitation and abuse material charges

Progress has been made in the case against a former respected high ranking Qld police officer allegedly caught with child exploitation material.

Former Mackay police officer Mark Andrew Lewer is facing child exploitation and abuse material charges

Progress has been made for the case against a former respected high ranking Mackay police officer to move to the district court.

Mark Andrew Lewer, who has held ranks including Senior Constable, Sergeant and Senior Sergeant, is facing three counts of using a carriage service to access child exploitation material and one count of possessing child exploitation material.

It is alleged the offending occurred between December 2021 and March 2024 at East Mackay.

Taskforce Argos detectives arrested the 50-year-old on March 4, 2024 after uncovering the shocking allegations involving AI images and text-based child abuse material.

Mr Lewer, who lived and worked as a police officer for a number of years including when he was charged, faces a maximum of 15 years jail if convicted.

And because of the nature of the charges, the matter must be finalised in the district court.

He is no longer employed with the Queensland Police Service. He was suspended from the QPS following the charges and subsequently resigned.

Mr Lewer, who is on bail, did not have to appear in Mackay Magistrates Court when his case was mentioned on Monday.

He was represented by Marcus Hahn of McKay’s Solicitors, who told the court the full police brief of evidence had now been provided.

Mr Hahn said as a result the matter would now be moved to the district court via a registry committal.

The case was adjourned to a date in late January 2025 to check that had occurred.