Matt Wright trial: Pilot's alleged spray at boss over stormy weather egg collection request
Sebastian Robinson on Friday finished giving evidence after being grilled over four days in the trial of Aussie reality television star, Matt Wright.
The Apple TV and Netflix star has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice during the investigation into a chopper crash that killed his co-star Chris 'Willow' Wilson.
It is not alleged Mr Wright is responsible for the crash.
On Friday the Northern Territory jury heard about the 'Australia Day incident' where the 28-year-old pilot and Mr Wright had a fight a month before the fatal crash.
Mr Robinson said on January 26, he, Mr Wilson and fellow pilot Michael Burbidge were contracted for a crocodile egg collecting mission at the mouth of the Daly River, in the NT.
The jury was shown photos of the chopper with an oncoming Wet Season storm looming in the background.
Mr Robinson said he radioed Mr Burbidge to say 'it was too dangerous to continue, because the storm was huge', and they mutually agreed to head back into town.
He said they went back to the Noonamah Tavern to watch the traditional Australia Day 'ute run' and have a 'beer and a feed'.
Mr Robinson said Mr Wright called him 'very hostile and abusive', telling the young pilot 'What the f--k are youse doing back? Egg collecting's not meant to be f—king easy'.
'You sit out there, you f--king ... you wait the weather out. You f--king deal with it,' Mr Wright allegedly said.
The jury has previously heard Mr Wright was not able to take part in egg collecting missions in early 2022 because he was an 'anti-vaxxer'.
'I told him to get f--ked, get vaccinated and fly his own helicopter,' Mr Robinson said on Friday.
In a group chat with Mr Burbidge and Mr Wilson, the young pilot alleged Mr Wright 'called us all bludgers' for pulling out of the dangerous conditions.
The young pilot this contributed to his decision to leave Mr Wright's Helibrook, and he establishing his own company Arnhem Helicopters.
Mr Wright sent Mr Robinson a message the next day saying he was 'sorry for blowing up'.
The trial continues on Monday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Courier-Mail
33 minutes ago
- Courier-Mail
Pierce Brosnan's son pops up in rare red carpet appearance
Don't miss out on the headlines from Celebrity Kids. Followed categories will be added to My News. Pierce Brosnan's son Dylan Brosnan is one tall lad. The 28-year-old towered over his famous dad in a sweet red carpet appearance Thursday. The father-son duo stepped out for a New York City screening of Pierce's forthcoming movie, The Thursday Murder Club, posing for pictures together at the Plaza Hotel before heading to the Paris Theater, per Page Six. Don't miss a ding! Never miss the latest entertainment news from Australia and around the world — download the app direct to your phone. For the outing, the 72-year-old actor, most famous for his portrayal of James Bond, looked dapper in a cream-coloured suit jacket, which he wore buttoned and atop a matching shirt. He completed his sleek ensemble with a black polka-dot tie, a black pocket square, black slacks and black dress shoes. Dylan Brosnan and Pierce Brosnan at the NYC Special Screening of The Thursday Murder Club on August 14, 2025 in New York City. Picture:for Netflix Meanwhile, Dylan — a filmmaker who graduated from the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts in May 2020 — opted for a more retro, loose-fitting Gray suit, which he wore unbuttoned and paired with a white collared shirt, black-and-white-striped tie and black dress shoes. Don't miss a ding! Never miss the latest entertainment news from Australia and around the world — download the app direct to your phone. He wore his brown shoulder-length hair combed back in a wispy 'do. The pair stood next to each other with one arm wrapped around the other and one hand in a pant pocket as the shutterbugs snapped away. Pierce shares Dylan and his 24-year-old brother, Paris Brosnan, with his wife, Keely Shaye Smith. The Golden Globe nominee was joined by both Dylan and Paris in his June film, The Unholy Trinity, which marked the siblings' big-screen debut. Avery Wheless and Dylan Brosnan attend the 2021 GQ Men of the Year Party in California. Picture:for GQ Brosnan with co-stars Helen Mirren and Ben Kingsley in NYC. Picture:for Netflix 'To be able to share that with them is a gift of time and memory,' Pierce told People at the time, describing the emotion as 'beautiful.' 'We always stayed together tight as a family unit during the days of James Bond, and now, of course, as they're older, here to be able to make movies with Dad,' he added, emphasising that he 'would jump into the trenches any day of the week with' his sons, as the trio travels 'well together.' Pierce shared his daughter, Charlotte Brosnan, and sons Christopher Brosnan, 52, and Sean Brosnan, 41, with his first wife, Cassandra Harris, who died of ovarian cancer in December 1991. She was 43. Charlotte died of the same disease in June 2013 at the age of 41. This article originally appeared in Page Six and was reproduced with permission Originally published as Pierce Brosnan's son pops up in rare red carpet appearance
The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Trial lays bare cowboy chopper ops in croc country
The much-anticipated trial of reality TV star Matt Wright has laid bare the cowboy world of Top End helicopter-flying in crocodile country. The Outback Wrangler star has pleaded not guilty to three charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice. The charges follow a helicopter crash in February 2022 that killed Wright's friend and co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson on a crocodile-egg collecting mission in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. Pilot Sebastian Robinson, who was left a paraplegic after the crash, has endured three days of tough questioning in the Supreme Court in Darwin by video link from his wheelchair. Wright's lawyers have painted Mr Robinson as a cocaine-using "party animal" who constantly broke aviation rules, including disconnecting flying-hour meters. But the jury has heard that Wright also disconnected meters and falsified maintenance releases and pilot logbooks to match, and told his pilots to do so. Such practices were commonplace across the helicopter industry in the territory, jurors have been told. Wright also allegedly allowed Mr Wilson, a trainee pilot, to take the controls of helicopters with pilots who were not trained instructors, in a breach of aviation regulations. Prosecutors allege Wright was worried after the crash that investigators would learn his choppers' meters were regularly disconnected to extend flying hours beyond official thresholds and that paperwork was falsified. The charges against Wright do not relate to the cause of the accident and the prosecution does not allege he is responsible for either the crash, Mr Wilson's death or Mr Robinson's injuries. The key accusations against Wright are that he asked an associate to "torch" the maintenance release for the crashed helicopter, he lied about the amount of fuel in the machine's tank and that he tried to get Mr Robinson to transfer flying hours from that machine onto his own. The jury has heard of the dangers of egg collecting where a man on a sling line beneath a chopper is lowered onto croc nests in remote swamps, with perhaps a handgun to protect against female reptiles protecting their nests. Senior defence counsel David Edwardson described those involved in helicopter croc-egg collecting in the Top End as being "thick as thieves", having each other's backs amid the dangerous work they did. Family members of Mr Robinson are expected to give evidence next week on whether Wright tried to pressure him to manipulate flight records. Mr Edwardson has told the jury there were serious questions of credibility surrounding testimony from the family. Mr Robinson has admitted to cocaine use and supply but has told the court he never flew helicopters while high. He has vigorously denied the helicopter crashed because it ran out of fuel. The trial has been going for two weeks and could go for another three before Acting Justice Allan Blow. The much-anticipated trial of reality TV star Matt Wright has laid bare the cowboy world of Top End helicopter-flying in crocodile country. The Outback Wrangler star has pleaded not guilty to three charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice. The charges follow a helicopter crash in February 2022 that killed Wright's friend and co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson on a crocodile-egg collecting mission in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. Pilot Sebastian Robinson, who was left a paraplegic after the crash, has endured three days of tough questioning in the Supreme Court in Darwin by video link from his wheelchair. Wright's lawyers have painted Mr Robinson as a cocaine-using "party animal" who constantly broke aviation rules, including disconnecting flying-hour meters. But the jury has heard that Wright also disconnected meters and falsified maintenance releases and pilot logbooks to match, and told his pilots to do so. Such practices were commonplace across the helicopter industry in the territory, jurors have been told. Wright also allegedly allowed Mr Wilson, a trainee pilot, to take the controls of helicopters with pilots who were not trained instructors, in a breach of aviation regulations. Prosecutors allege Wright was worried after the crash that investigators would learn his choppers' meters were regularly disconnected to extend flying hours beyond official thresholds and that paperwork was falsified. The charges against Wright do not relate to the cause of the accident and the prosecution does not allege he is responsible for either the crash, Mr Wilson's death or Mr Robinson's injuries. The key accusations against Wright are that he asked an associate to "torch" the maintenance release for the crashed helicopter, he lied about the amount of fuel in the machine's tank and that he tried to get Mr Robinson to transfer flying hours from that machine onto his own. The jury has heard of the dangers of egg collecting where a man on a sling line beneath a chopper is lowered onto croc nests in remote swamps, with perhaps a handgun to protect against female reptiles protecting their nests. Senior defence counsel David Edwardson described those involved in helicopter croc-egg collecting in the Top End as being "thick as thieves", having each other's backs amid the dangerous work they did. Family members of Mr Robinson are expected to give evidence next week on whether Wright tried to pressure him to manipulate flight records. Mr Edwardson has told the jury there were serious questions of credibility surrounding testimony from the family. Mr Robinson has admitted to cocaine use and supply but has told the court he never flew helicopters while high. He has vigorously denied the helicopter crashed because it ran out of fuel. The trial has been going for two weeks and could go for another three before Acting Justice Allan Blow. The much-anticipated trial of reality TV star Matt Wright has laid bare the cowboy world of Top End helicopter-flying in crocodile country. The Outback Wrangler star has pleaded not guilty to three charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice. The charges follow a helicopter crash in February 2022 that killed Wright's friend and co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson on a crocodile-egg collecting mission in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. Pilot Sebastian Robinson, who was left a paraplegic after the crash, has endured three days of tough questioning in the Supreme Court in Darwin by video link from his wheelchair. Wright's lawyers have painted Mr Robinson as a cocaine-using "party animal" who constantly broke aviation rules, including disconnecting flying-hour meters. But the jury has heard that Wright also disconnected meters and falsified maintenance releases and pilot logbooks to match, and told his pilots to do so. Such practices were commonplace across the helicopter industry in the territory, jurors have been told. Wright also allegedly allowed Mr Wilson, a trainee pilot, to take the controls of helicopters with pilots who were not trained instructors, in a breach of aviation regulations. Prosecutors allege Wright was worried after the crash that investigators would learn his choppers' meters were regularly disconnected to extend flying hours beyond official thresholds and that paperwork was falsified. The charges against Wright do not relate to the cause of the accident and the prosecution does not allege he is responsible for either the crash, Mr Wilson's death or Mr Robinson's injuries. The key accusations against Wright are that he asked an associate to "torch" the maintenance release for the crashed helicopter, he lied about the amount of fuel in the machine's tank and that he tried to get Mr Robinson to transfer flying hours from that machine onto his own. The jury has heard of the dangers of egg collecting where a man on a sling line beneath a chopper is lowered onto croc nests in remote swamps, with perhaps a handgun to protect against female reptiles protecting their nests. Senior defence counsel David Edwardson described those involved in helicopter croc-egg collecting in the Top End as being "thick as thieves", having each other's backs amid the dangerous work they did. Family members of Mr Robinson are expected to give evidence next week on whether Wright tried to pressure him to manipulate flight records. Mr Edwardson has told the jury there were serious questions of credibility surrounding testimony from the family. Mr Robinson has admitted to cocaine use and supply but has told the court he never flew helicopters while high. He has vigorously denied the helicopter crashed because it ran out of fuel. The trial has been going for two weeks and could go for another three before Acting Justice Allan Blow. The much-anticipated trial of reality TV star Matt Wright has laid bare the cowboy world of Top End helicopter-flying in crocodile country. The Outback Wrangler star has pleaded not guilty to three charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice. The charges follow a helicopter crash in February 2022 that killed Wright's friend and co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson on a crocodile-egg collecting mission in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. Pilot Sebastian Robinson, who was left a paraplegic after the crash, has endured three days of tough questioning in the Supreme Court in Darwin by video link from his wheelchair. Wright's lawyers have painted Mr Robinson as a cocaine-using "party animal" who constantly broke aviation rules, including disconnecting flying-hour meters. But the jury has heard that Wright also disconnected meters and falsified maintenance releases and pilot logbooks to match, and told his pilots to do so. Such practices were commonplace across the helicopter industry in the territory, jurors have been told. Wright also allegedly allowed Mr Wilson, a trainee pilot, to take the controls of helicopters with pilots who were not trained instructors, in a breach of aviation regulations. Prosecutors allege Wright was worried after the crash that investigators would learn his choppers' meters were regularly disconnected to extend flying hours beyond official thresholds and that paperwork was falsified. The charges against Wright do not relate to the cause of the accident and the prosecution does not allege he is responsible for either the crash, Mr Wilson's death or Mr Robinson's injuries. The key accusations against Wright are that he asked an associate to "torch" the maintenance release for the crashed helicopter, he lied about the amount of fuel in the machine's tank and that he tried to get Mr Robinson to transfer flying hours from that machine onto his own. The jury has heard of the dangers of egg collecting where a man on a sling line beneath a chopper is lowered onto croc nests in remote swamps, with perhaps a handgun to protect against female reptiles protecting their nests. Senior defence counsel David Edwardson described those involved in helicopter croc-egg collecting in the Top End as being "thick as thieves", having each other's backs amid the dangerous work they did. Family members of Mr Robinson are expected to give evidence next week on whether Wright tried to pressure him to manipulate flight records. Mr Edwardson has told the jury there were serious questions of credibility surrounding testimony from the family. Mr Robinson has admitted to cocaine use and supply but has told the court he never flew helicopters while high. He has vigorously denied the helicopter crashed because it ran out of fuel. The trial has been going for two weeks and could go for another three before Acting Justice Allan Blow.
The Age
5 hours ago
- The Age
What if the song of the year is a Ben Folds ballad from a Snoopy musical?
It grabs you suddenly. There you are, half-watching Apple TV+'s new Peanuts special Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical, having finally settled on some wholesome family viewing that isn't just your 14th run-through of KPop Demon Hunters, when 31 minutes in Charlie Brown – depressed, bedraggled and caught in a sudden downpour – existentially mutters, 'I just can't'. The sentiment is universal. But then a plaintive synth follows, and a beat like a broken heart. If you're like me, you'll be fighting back chest-heaving sobs while your kids wonder what the hell's going on with dad. Is it weird that the most emotional song of the year might be a synth-ballad by Ben Folds, written and recorded for a Peanuts musical where Charlie Brown tries valiantly to save his childhood summer camp from closure? Perhaps, but here we are. I don't know if the Emmys even give out awards for songs, but Look Up, Charlie Brown should win them all. 'I'm glad you like that one,' says Folds, who composed several original songs for what is the first new Peanuts musical in 37 years. 'I always saw that as one that may not even make the cut, but that's the one that everyone keeps saying they like, which is very interesting to me.' The song was written specifically for the special's emotional peak, Folds explains. In an excited bid to rescue their beloved summer camp from developers, the Peanuts gang decide to stage a 'save the camp' concert. But the weather gods strike. 'It starts raining, which is beyond the control of the children,' says Folds. 'But then the resolution in the script was that the sun comes out. So how do you write that song? How do you earn the sun coming out?' Feeling the spirit of Charles M. Schulz, Folds' answer was to get philosophical (in a minor key). 'As a kid, you need to understand that things happen that are beyond our control and that when these things happen, all you can do is your best,' he says. 'So I said, ok, Charlie Brown is going to look down and just work. He'll go, 'I refuse to believe that this is not going to go my way, even though everything is saying that it's not because it's raining and I can't stop the rain.'' But just as Charlie Brown, in his Sisyphean tradition – he's the chump who never stops kicking at the football, even if Lucy always pulls it – has vowed not to give up, the clouds part, the sun comes out, and the song builds to its glorious apex, a chanted 'Look up! Look up!' that will rip your soul out.
