Tauranga man Matthew Dylan Gabel denies child pornography charges

The case was heard in the Tauranga District Court. Photo / File

A Tauranga man has been charged with possessing 79 images of child pornography.

Truck driver Matthew Dylan Gabel appeared before Judge Bridget Mackintosh in the Tauranga District Court today.

The 25-year-old Bethlehem man has denied all seven charges laid against him and elected a trial by jury.

He had previously denied five charges and through his lawyer entered not guilty pleas to two new charges in court today.

The new charges were of sexual violation and making an intimate visual recording of another person.

The sexual violation charge carried a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison while the recording charge was punishable by up to three years in prison.

An interim name suppression order for Gabel lapsed.

Gabel had previously pleaded not guilty to four representative charges of possessing digital photos depicting child exploitation and one charge of possessing an objectional video depicting child exploitation.

Police alleged the images and video were found on his cellphone, and that the acts depicted included rape and sexual assaults of children.

Each charge carried a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison or a fine of $50,000.

Gabel was remanded on bail to reappear in the same court on July 15.