Richard, Stephen Mateer: Twins to face court on multiple charges

A pair of twins will face court on child sex allegations which came to light after cops reignited an investigation into disappearance of Amanda Robinson.

A man charged with child sex crimes has had his case moved up to Newcastle to match up with his twin brother’s case.

Richard Mateer, 69 appeared before Blacktown Court on Thursday.

He is facing eight charges: three counts of sexual assault plus indecent act in company, two counts of sexual assault incite indecent act person under 16, two counts of sexual assault indecent act with person under 16 and sexual intercourse with child 10 or over and under 16 years.

At the brief hearing on Thursday the Director of Public Prosecutions asked for the matter to be moved to Newcastle Court in three weeks to match up with the case of his twin brother, Stephen Mateer.

Blacktown Court House. Picture: Angelo Velardo

Stephen Mateer is facing 41 charges, including multiple counts of sexual intercourse with child 10 or over and under 16 years, sexual assault plus indecent act in company, sexual assault incite indecent act person under 16 and sexual assault indecent act with person under 16.

In court on Thursday, legal aid representative Naomi Steinberg did not apply for bail on Mateer’s behalf and did not oppose the three week adjournment for brief status.

The twin brothers were arrested following reignited investigations into the night Amanda Robinson went missing in Swansea in 1979.

The brothers were arrested after a fresh investigation into the night Amanda Robinson went missing in Swansea in 1979. There is no suggestion the twins were involved in her disappearance.

They were arrested and charged after police conducted inquiries into a private fundraiser at the former Swansea Bowling Club in Lake Macquarie on the night she went missing on April 20.

Strike Force Arapaima – which was established to re-examine the 1979 disappearances and suspected murders of Robyn Hickie and Amanda Robinson, as well as the 1994 kidnapping and suspected murder of Gordana Kotevski – uncovered information relating to the sexual abuse of two boys in the late 1980s and early 1990s by two men known to them.

There is no suggestion that the twins were involved in these suspected murders or kidnappings.

Richard Mateer was arrested and charged at his Seven Hills home on November 17, before his brother Stephen Mateer was arrested on November 25 in Greenacre.

Both will appear in Newcastle Court on February 2.