Matthew Michael Beer, 32 appears in court charged with possessing child abuse material

The AFP has issued a new warning to people who download child abuse material, as one man fronts court after a multi-agency bust.

A man charged with accessing and possessing child abuse material following a major multi-agency bust has appeared in court.

Matthew Michael Beer was silent as the Adelaide Magistrates Court heard prosecutors would need 12 weeks before he can return to court to answer charges he was viewing child abuse material.

Mr Beer, 32, was initially busted by the joint anti child exploitation team (JACET) – a joint operation by SA Police and the AFP – in June of this year after an investigation that was started following reports from the Australian Border Force.

Matthew Michael Beer leaving the Adelaide Magistrates Court after he was charged with child sex crimes. Picture: Leah Smith

In a separate investigation, ABF officers allegedly found child abuse material on “several” of Mr Beer’s electronic devices, including a laptop and hard drive.

On those devices, JACET detectives allegedly located numerous videos and images of “sexually explicit child abuse material”.

Mr Beer, of Edinburgh, was charged with two counts of possessing or controlling child abuse material, and first appeared in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court last month.

On Tuesday, he was silent in the dock as his lawyer made no arguments against the proposed 12 week adjournment.

If found guilty, the maximum penalty for possessing or controlling child abuse material is 15 years imprisonment, and the man will return to court again to answer the charges in December.

ABF Inspector Steve Garden said professionally trained Border Force officers remain alert to travellers arriving in Australia importing child abuse material.

Matthew Michael Beer leaving the Adelaide Magistrates Court after he was charged with child sex crimes. Picture: Leah Smith

“These materials have a profound and long-lasting impacts on the lives of victimised children, and ABF officers are dedicated to identifying and prosecuting these serious criminal offences,” Inspector Garden said.

AFP Sergeant Joe Barry said children are “not commodities to be used for the abhorrent gratification of sexual predators”.

“Our message to online offenders has not changed – if you procure, access and transmit child abuse material, we will find you, and you will be prosecuted.”

Originally published as Matthew Michael Beer, 32 appears in court charged with possessing child abuse material