logo
‘Not guilty': Update on Netflix croc wrangler

‘Not guilty': Update on Netflix croc wrangler

Perth Now5 hours ago
Celebrity crocodile wrangler Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty to the attempting to pervert the course of justice, three years after the death of co-star Chris Wilson.
The Netflix formally entered pleas of not guilty at the Northern Territory Supreme Court in Darwin on Monday, with a trial set to get underway on Wednesday July 30.
The charges relate to the fatal helicopter crash in remote western Arnhem Land in February 2022 which killed Mr Wilson, a close friend of Mr Wright. Celebrity crocodile wrangler Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty to the attempting to pervert the course of justice. NCA NewsWire/ Pema Tamang Pakhrin Credit: News Corp Australia
Mr Wilson is alleged to have been suspended underneath the Robinson R44 helicopter on an 100-foot sling on a crocodile egg collecting mission at the time of the crash.
The pilot, 28-year-old Sebastian Robinson, suffered permanent injuries as a result of the crash. The charges relate to the fatal helicopter crash in remote western Arnhem Land in February 2022 which killed co-star Chris Wilson. Credit: News Corp Australia
Mr Wright has strenuously denied the allegations and will return to court on Wednesday.
He was supported at court on Monday by his wife, Kaia Wright.
Mr Wright is most well known for his role hosting National Geographic's Outback Wrangler, as well as the Netflix series Wild Croc Territory in 2022.
More to come
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Teacher ‘dared' girls to kiss: court
Teacher ‘dared' girls to kiss: court

Perth Now

time23 minutes ago

  • Perth Now

Teacher ‘dared' girls to kiss: court

The final arguments in the trial of a music teacher accused of sexually abusing a teen girl have circled around a movie night kiss captured in a photo booth and a series of emotionally charged emails. Janelle Colville Fletcher, 40, is contesting allegations that she groomed and sexually abused the underage girl some years ago and appeared again on Monday at the South Australian District Court before Judge Joanne Fuller. The prosecution, led by Chris Allen, allege Ms Fletcher abused the girl in various locations and also that she communicated with her and another teenage girl to make them amenable to sexual activity. Some of the alleged offending happened when the two girls and Ms Fletcher were alone together in a room, the prosecution said, with the teacher allegedly performing a lap dance on a chair. She then allegedly 'dared' the two girls to kiss each other and asked if they would 'date' each other. That same night, Mr Allen said, Ms Fletcher then spent time alone with one of the girls and touched her genital area. The alleged grooming and abuse of the girl then went on for months at various locations, the prosecution said, including the home of Ms Fletcher and in Ms Fletcher's car. Janelle Fletcher is contesting the allegation that she sexually abused a teen girl. NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia Alongside oral evidence from the alleged victims, the prosecution presented a series of texts, emails and photographs to support its case, including a photo of Ms Fletcher and the girl kissing at a cinema photo booth. In his closing address, Mr Allen said the 'objective evidence' of the photo booth kiss showed an 'unlawful sexual act'. He argued further that the 'sheer volume' of photos of Ms Fletcher and the girl together suggested a sexual relationship. 'They look like girlfriends (in the photographs) … in a relationship between girlfriends,' Mr Allen said. In her testimony from last week, Ms Fletcher said the photo booth kiss was a 'pretend kiss' she did not want or mean to happen. 'It was meant to be a pretend kiss like we had done previously where our lips don't actually touch, and in that particular photo we got close and she did sort of pull me in and the photo went off, yeah,' Ms Fletcher said. There is dispute between the defence and prosecution about the correct sequence order of photos from the booth. The prosecution says the correct sequence runs from top to bottom in the order of one, two, three and then four. In 'photo 4', Ms Fletcher appears happy and the prosecution argues this shows she was happy to kiss the girl and not shocked or upset by it. Ms Fletcher and her defence team, led by Andrew Culshaw, claim that photo was taken before the kiss and should not be seen as approval of the act, with the correct sequence of photos running one, two, four and then three. Mr Culshaw also argued the photo did not show child sexual abuse because the girl had turned 17 at the time of the photo, and so she was therefore not a child when the kiss happened. The defence argued Ms Fletcher was also no longer in a position of authority at the time. 'What Your Honour has, in my submission, is evidence of a kiss at a time when it was legal,' Mr Culshaw said. The prosecution also argued that a series of emotionally expressive emails from Ms Fletcher to the girl revealed the 'true nature' of the relationship between them. In one email, Ms Fletcher told the girl 'I want something serious not something short term'. In others, she said 'my feelings for you are not lust but love' and 'right now, we can't be open. Right now we will have to continue as we are in secret …' Ms Fletcher holds a PhD in music education. NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia Ms Fletcher had earlier argued the emails showed non-sexual 'love' for the girl, but Mr Allen dismissed that argument on Monday as 'absurd'. 'This is not 'I love you' in some sort of Catholic way,' Mr Allen said. Mr Culshaw, in his closing address, acknowledged under questioning from Judge Fuller that the emails appeared 'terrible' on a first or literal reading in that they seemed to suggest the pair had been in a sexual relationship. But he argued a deeper reading of the emails fit with Ms Fletcher's testimony. She claimed last week that they were written to keep the girl happy and guide her away to a more age-appropriate relationship. 'These emails are consistent with a relatively young teacher, in her early 30s, who had got herself in too deep … and so was trying to deal with the situation and extricate herself from it,' Mr Culshaw said. Ms Fletcher holds a PhD in music education. She told the court that she was heterosexual and believed in the Catholic faith. She was still legally married to a man, though the pair had separated, she told the court. The judge-alone trial continues.

MKR star's alleged horrific attack on child
MKR star's alleged horrific attack on child

Perth Now

timean hour ago

  • Perth Now

MKR star's alleged horrific attack on child

A My Kitchen Rules star allegedly subjected a child to a torrent of vile abuse – including an occasion where he allegedly dragged and choked her over a dispute about tomato sauce. Anthony Michael Mu pleaded not guilty to seven charges, including assault occasioning bodily harm, common assault and observations in breach of privacy, at the start of his hearing at Richlands Magistrates Court on Monday. Members of his family and supporters turned up wearing badges that read 'False allegations destroy lives'. Mr Mu and his wife, Claudean Uamaki-Mu, both appeared on the Channel 7 reality cooking show in 2023. Anthony Michael Mu has pleaded not guilty to seven charges, including assault occasioning bodily harm, common assault and observations in breach of privacy. NewsWire/ Glenn Campbell Credit: News Corp Australia The pair have been in and out of court for more than a year on abuse-related allegations, with Ms Uamaki-Mu pleading guilty to six charges of common assault in May. She walked from court with no convictions recorded, along with a 12-month good behaviour bond and $1000 recognisance. On the first day of Mr Mu's trial, a woman – who cannot be named for legal reasons – told the court about several assaults she alleged Mr Mu subjected her to years ago. At the time, she was a child under the age of 18. One allegedly involved her being beaten with a metal spatula on her hands, arm and knuckles. On another occasion, the woman said she was allegedly 'tackled' through a wall by Mr Mu after she 'rolled her eyes' at him and was set upon by Mr Mu during a birthday party before allegedly being pushed down stairs. Mr Mu is alleged to have assaulted a child on several occasions. NewsWire/ Glenn Campbell Credit: News Corp Australia The woman said that when she was an adult, Mr Mu went to get McDonald's for dinner. The court was told the woman 'sighed' after Mr Mu said he forgot her tomato sauce for her meal, leading to him getting 'irate' and calling her a 'disrespectful c**t'. Mr Mu allegedly threw a burger at the back of her head, grabbed her hair and screamed at her to 'get the f**k up'. 'I couldn't quite stand because he had the back of my hair in his hands. I slipped and fell … he dragged me by my hair,' she said. 'I believe he was still calling me a 'disrespectful c**t'.' The woman said she felt her hair was being pulled out but did not see any clumps of hair on the floor, aside from feeling 'a lot of pain'. 'I remember he pulled me up to my feet by my hair. He then choked me on the wall,' she continued. 'I was hyperventilating when this was happening. 'It was no more than 30 seconds to a minute.' During cross-examination by defence barrister Stephen Kissick, the woman denied that she was lying about the alleged assaults for either publicity or financial gain. Mr Mu's barrister Stephen Kissick (right) questioned the witness whether she was lying about the alleged assaults taking place, but the woman rejected this question. NewsWire/ Glenn Campbell Credit: News Corp Australia Mr Kissick asked if she had been 'reminded' about the alleged abuse during conversations with people she was still in touch with. 'No, we didn't need reminding,' the woman said. She rejected suggestions that she had been laughing and joking about the allegations before appearing teary and 'hyperventilating' when she went to visit police. Mr Kissick put to the woman the allegations in her statement were a 'complete game' against Mr Mu and Ms Uamaki-Mu, but the woman rejected this. Mr Kissick asked her: 'You're prepared to say anything against these people, aren't you?' The woman replied: 'No, only the truth.' The trial continues. Domestic Violence helplines mental health helplines

Not guilty plea from Outback Wrangler after fatal crash
Not guilty plea from Outback Wrangler after fatal crash

The Advertiser

time2 hours ago

  • The Advertiser

Not guilty plea from Outback Wrangler after fatal crash

Three years after a fatal chopper crash, reality TV star Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice. The reality TV star was charged following the crash that killed co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson in February 2022. Wearing a light blue shirt and blue jeans, Wright appeared calm when he faced the Supreme Court in Darwin on Monday. The court was silent before three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice were read out for his arraignment and he pleaded not guilty to each charge. Mr Wilson's widow Dani Wilson sat on one side of the courtroom and Wright's supporters including his wife Kaia, who he kissed during an adjournment, were on the other side. The crash in remote West Arnhem Land in 2022 killed Mr Wilson, with pilot Sebastian Robinson seriously injured. Mr Wilson was hanging from a sling under the helicopter to collect crocodile eggs when the crash occurred. The trial before Acting Justice Allan Blow will begin after he hears legal arguments. A jury is set to be empanelled on Wednesday, with opening statements from the prosecution and defence to follow. The trial is expected to take up to four weeks and hear from about 25 witnesses. The charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' jail in the NT. An Australian Transport Safety Bureau report into the 2022 accident found the chopper's engine stopped mid-flight because of a lack of fuel. Wright rose to fame starring in National Geographic's Outback Wrangler and Netflix series Wild Croc Territory. Three years after a fatal chopper crash, reality TV star Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice. The reality TV star was charged following the crash that killed co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson in February 2022. Wearing a light blue shirt and blue jeans, Wright appeared calm when he faced the Supreme Court in Darwin on Monday. The court was silent before three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice were read out for his arraignment and he pleaded not guilty to each charge. Mr Wilson's widow Dani Wilson sat on one side of the courtroom and Wright's supporters including his wife Kaia, who he kissed during an adjournment, were on the other side. The crash in remote West Arnhem Land in 2022 killed Mr Wilson, with pilot Sebastian Robinson seriously injured. Mr Wilson was hanging from a sling under the helicopter to collect crocodile eggs when the crash occurred. The trial before Acting Justice Allan Blow will begin after he hears legal arguments. A jury is set to be empanelled on Wednesday, with opening statements from the prosecution and defence to follow. The trial is expected to take up to four weeks and hear from about 25 witnesses. The charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' jail in the NT. An Australian Transport Safety Bureau report into the 2022 accident found the chopper's engine stopped mid-flight because of a lack of fuel. Wright rose to fame starring in National Geographic's Outback Wrangler and Netflix series Wild Croc Territory. Three years after a fatal chopper crash, reality TV star Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice. The reality TV star was charged following the crash that killed co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson in February 2022. Wearing a light blue shirt and blue jeans, Wright appeared calm when he faced the Supreme Court in Darwin on Monday. The court was silent before three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice were read out for his arraignment and he pleaded not guilty to each charge. Mr Wilson's widow Dani Wilson sat on one side of the courtroom and Wright's supporters including his wife Kaia, who he kissed during an adjournment, were on the other side. The crash in remote West Arnhem Land in 2022 killed Mr Wilson, with pilot Sebastian Robinson seriously injured. Mr Wilson was hanging from a sling under the helicopter to collect crocodile eggs when the crash occurred. The trial before Acting Justice Allan Blow will begin after he hears legal arguments. A jury is set to be empanelled on Wednesday, with opening statements from the prosecution and defence to follow. The trial is expected to take up to four weeks and hear from about 25 witnesses. The charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' jail in the NT. An Australian Transport Safety Bureau report into the 2022 accident found the chopper's engine stopped mid-flight because of a lack of fuel. Wright rose to fame starring in National Geographic's Outback Wrangler and Netflix series Wild Croc Territory. Three years after a fatal chopper crash, reality TV star Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice. The reality TV star was charged following the crash that killed co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson in February 2022. Wearing a light blue shirt and blue jeans, Wright appeared calm when he faced the Supreme Court in Darwin on Monday. The court was silent before three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice were read out for his arraignment and he pleaded not guilty to each charge. Mr Wilson's widow Dani Wilson sat on one side of the courtroom and Wright's supporters including his wife Kaia, who he kissed during an adjournment, were on the other side. The crash in remote West Arnhem Land in 2022 killed Mr Wilson, with pilot Sebastian Robinson seriously injured. Mr Wilson was hanging from a sling under the helicopter to collect crocodile eggs when the crash occurred. The trial before Acting Justice Allan Blow will begin after he hears legal arguments. A jury is set to be empanelled on Wednesday, with opening statements from the prosecution and defence to follow. The trial is expected to take up to four weeks and hear from about 25 witnesses. The charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' jail in the NT. An Australian Transport Safety Bureau report into the 2022 accident found the chopper's engine stopped mid-flight because of a lack of fuel. Wright rose to fame starring in National Geographic's Outback Wrangler and Netflix series Wild Croc Territory.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store