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TV reality star trial over chopper crash delayed again

TV reality star trial over chopper crash delayed again

9 News30-07-2025
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here The trial of reality TV star Matt Wright on charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice after a fatal outback helicopter crash has again been delayed. The February 2022 crash killed Wright's friend and Outback Wrangler TV show co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson, who was hanging from a sling under the chopper on a mission to collect crocodile eggs. A jury was set to be chosen on Thursday. Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty before standing trial for perverting the course of justice. (Lloyd Jones/AAP PHOTOS) But in the Supreme Court in Darwin on Wednesday, Acting Justice Allan Blow rescheduled the empanelment for August 5. It ensures the jury will be selected following a long weekend, with August 4 marking the Picnic Day public holiday in the territory. The start of the trial has been delayed several times and pre-trial legal argument before Justice Blow is set to continue this week. On Monday Wright pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice, accused of tampering with evidence to cover up non-adherence to aircraft maintenance rules. The trial is expected to take up to four weeks and hear from about 25 witnesses. An Australian Transport Safety Bureau report into the crash near the King River in Arnhem Land found the chopper's engine stopped mid-flight because of a lack of fuel. The crash into a paperbark swamp killed Wilson, 34, and critically injured pilot Sebastian Robinson, 28. The charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice carries a maximum 15-year jail term in the NT. Wright rose to fame starring in National Geographic's Outback Wrangler and Netflix series Wild Croc Territory . courts
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Reality TV star tried to hide flight hours, jury hears

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Crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC told the jury on Wednesday the charges did not relate to the cause of the accident and it's not alleged Wright was responsible for the crash, the death of Mr Wilson or Mr Robinson's injuries. The jurors have been told part of the evidence would be covertly recorded conversations of Wright and others at his home and on his phone, using listening devices. Mr Gullaci told jurors they would hear evidence that Wright tried to procure the diary, phone and pilot's logbook of Mr Robinson while the seriously injured pilot was in hospital in Brisbane. Wright allegedly asked an associate to seek the documents and the phone from Mr Robinson's family and he reportedly visited a cottage where Mr Robinson lived to source documents. "The prosecution case is that Wright was trying to get his hands on documents that might betray to investigators what was happening," Mr Gullaci said. 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Reality TV star tried to hide flight hours, jury hears
Reality TV star tried to hide flight hours, jury hears

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Reality TV star tried to hide flight hours, jury hears

Following a fatal helicopter crash reality TV star Matt Wright tried to get his hands on documents that might betray his under-reporting of flying hours, a jury has heard. The Outback Wrangler star's trial is underway in the Supreme Court in Darwin more than three years after his co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson died in the outback crash that left pilot Sebastian Robinson a paraplegic. They were on a mission to collect crocodile eggs along the King River in Arnhem Land. Wright has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice following the February 2022 incident in the Northern Territory. The Crown case is that Wright did not properly record helicopter flying hours and was concerned that crash investigators would uncover that, leading to charges against him and his helicopter company. Crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC told the jury on Wednesday the charges did not relate to the cause of the accident and it's not alleged Wright was responsible for the crash, the death of Mr Wilson or Mr Robinson's injuries. The jurors have been told part of the evidence would be covertly recorded conversations of Wright and others at his home and on his phone, using listening devices. Mr Gullaci told jurors they would hear evidence that Wright tried to procure the diary, phone and pilot's logbook of Mr Robinson while the seriously injured pilot was in hospital in Brisbane. Wright allegedly asked an associate to seek the documents and the phone from Mr Robinson's family and he reportedly visited a cottage where Mr Robinson lived to source documents. "The prosecution case is that Wright was trying to get his hands on documents that might betray to investigators what was happening," Mr Gullaci said. The trial before Acting Justice Allan Blow continues on Thursday and is expected to take three to five weeks.

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