Outback Wrangler Matt Wright allegedly asked Seb Robinson to manipulate records

News.com.au

4 hours ago

Outback Wrangler Matt Wright was allegedly secretly recorded discussing the manipulation of his flight records while visiting a paraplegic chopper crash survivor in hospital, a jury has heard.
On Wednesday, former pilot Sebastian Robinson told the jury the reality television star was an 'anti-vaxxer' despite Mr Wright going to two Covid restricted areas, a remote helicopter crash site and the injured pilot's Brisbane hospital room.
The 45-year-old star has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice, following the death of his mate Chris 'Willow' Wilson on February 28, 2022.
Mr Wilson, 34, was dangling from a helicopter in a sling above a croc-filled swamp in remote Arnhem Land, NT when the chopper crashed, killing him and critically injuring the 28-year-old pilot.
It has not been alleged Mr Wright was responsible for the crash, however Prosecutor Jason Gullaci alleged the reality television star attempted to cover up his history underreporting flight hours for the chopper.
On Wednesday, Mr Robinson told the jury that the main reason Mr Wright was not on that same fateful crocodile egg collection mission was 'because he was an anti-vaxxer'.
The pilot said that in February 2022 there were strict Covid rules for anyone entering the remote areas in the Territory, where they needed to provide proof of their vaccinations, and take rapid antigen tests.
The jury has previously heard Mr Wright flew to the remote crash site with Wild Harvest NT director Mick Burns and off-duty senior NT Police officer Neil Mellon.
Following the crash, Mr Robinson spent a month in Brisbane hospital, where Covid restrictions meant two people could visit and everyone needed to provide a valid vaccination certificate.
The now paraplegic former pilot told the jury that he had limited recollection of this time, as he had just come out of a coma, was heavily sedated and 'hallucinating'.
However, he said he 'vaguely' remembered a visit from Mr Wright and wife Kaia on March 11.
'I have a vivid memory of him having some sort of paperwork in his hands,' Mr Robinson said.
He alleged his boss wanted to move 'a few' hours from the crashed helicopter – a Robinson R-44 with the call sign IDW – to Mr Robinson's personal chopper – a Robinson R-44 with the call sign ZXZ.
Mr Robinson said the IDW flight hours were for wild crocodile egg collecting missions, despite ZXZ not being equipped for that dangerous task.
He also alleged Mr Wright 'asked to go through my phone and delete a few things'.
'I remember looking over and seeing him holding my phone and flicking through it and deleting things,' Mr Robinson said.
The jury heard the former pilot also deleted 'some stuff', including phone notes for start and stop times for IDW during egg collection trips.
'It was a very hard time for me. I didn't know who to trust and I panicked and went along with it,' he said.
Mr Robinson alleged on Mr Wright's second hospital visit he brought along Jai Thomlinson to again discuss the transfer of hours from IDW to ZXZ.
'I just remember having concerns about what was happening,' Mr Robinson said.
'I said I didn't feel comfortable doing it,' he said.
'I don't think (Mr Wright) was upset … He sort of said 'That's OK'.'
A secret mobile audio recording of this hospital visit allegedly captured Mr Wright talking about IDW flight times over the phone.
Mr Wright's defence lawyer David Edwardson has previously alleged that Mr Robinson was worried that the discrepancies in his own flight paperwork would be revealed.
On Tuesday Mr Robinson admitted he initially repeatedly lied to investigators, as he 'panicked' as he was worried about his own pilot's licence.
Mr Gullaci presented Mr Robinson with helicopter documents, which the former pilot said included entries that did not appear to be his handwriting.
Mr Robinson also said he had 'never' filled out a trip sheet in the last 12 months of working for Mr Wright's Helibrook, despite Mr Gullaci showing him three 'purported trip documents' claiming Mr Robinson had taken trips in IDW.
'Did you fill that in?' Mr Gullaci asked.
'No I did not,' Mr Robinson said.
The jury was also shown two versions of invoices from Mr Robinson to Mr Wright, prepared by the pilot's mother Noelene Chellingworth.
Mr Robinson said the first invoice was in his standard format, detailing each individual flight he took, with a total bill of $21,500.
Mr Robinson said there was a request to change the invoice format to provide less information, 'from full days, half days, dates, locations, just to amounts per month'.
However he could not be certain who asked for the invoice changes.
Mr Robinson will continue giving evidence on Wednesday afternoon.