Croc wrangler's trial over helicopter crash kicks off in NT
Published 6 August 2025, 10:01 am
The criminal trial of celebrity crocodile wrangler Matthew Wright is underway in the Northern Territory. Prosecutors have outlined an alleged 'cover up' and 'manipulation of 'records' following a fatal helicopter crash three years ago. The star of National Geographic's Outback Wrangler, and the Netflix series, Wild Croc Territory has pleaded not guilty to three charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
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News.com.au
6 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Wayne Carey's adult-only club move after toilet tryst controversy
Wayne Carey has landed back on Australian shores and the former AFL premiership star is reportedly set to make an eye-opening public return. The 54-year-old left the country with his family after finding himself embroiled in controversy over an alleged toilet tryst. Carey went viral in July after footage filmed at Toorak Cellars in Armadale, showed him following a woman out of a bathroom. Carey however is now set to make his first public appearance since the incident with the 272-game AFL great appearing at an adults-only club in Geelong. The After Dark Gentleman's Club is promoting a meet and greet session with Carey on August 15. 'Meet and greet with Wayne Carey,' the club promises on its Facebook page. 'Doors open from 8.30pm. Live entertainment all night.' Carey has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing over the alleged toilet tryst, with the Kangaroos legend saying it was a breach of privacy and 'slut shaming'. Carey and the woman in the video, marketing executive Kate Aston, both publicly said they are pursuing legal action after the video quickly spread across cyberspace. Aston said the scandal has taken an immense toll on her personal and professional life. 'What has happened to me could happen to anyone, and no one should have to go through what I have been put through – the damage, the speculation, the impact on my livelihood, all from the malicious actions of a small few,' Ms Aston, who has denied anything happened in the toilets, said. 'Overnight, from footage of me simply exiting a toilet at a bar, I've had my life turned upside down. 'From a professional perspective, my ability has been put into question which has had immediate financial repercussions, one that is costing me every day with the effects likely to be long term and irreversible … while I appear strong, those closest to me know that my suffering over recent days has been colossal.' Carey's ex-partner publicly mocked the retired footballer in another twist to the bizarre scandal. Kate Neilson couldn't help herself from taking a sly dig at her former partner when she re-enacted the viral video. Neilson posted a candid clip of herself walking out of a bathroom covering her face before her partner shortly exits the same bathroom while appearing to use his phone. The video on Neilson's Instagram stories included a duck emoji watermark. Carey's nickname during his football career was 'Duck'. The clip was set to the Bloodhound Gang's The Bad Touch hit. Neilson said she hoped the video was merely a misunderstanding. Carey, a great of the North Melbourne footy club, has a track record of incidents away from the playing arena. The most famous was his affair with former teammate Anthony Stevens' then-wife Kelli, which led to Carey's sacking from the Kangaroos. He has also been hit with indecent assault, domestic violence and misdemeanour battery allegations, along with issues with drugs and alcohol, and has been sacked from a number of media roles. Carey was in 2007 involved in a 'glassing' incident with Neilson. Neilson last year went public to refute claims Carey made about the incident, where he described reports as incorrect and 'ludicrous'. Neilson has always maintained: 'I can say with certainty the glass of wine was intentionally thrown into my face and smashed my mouth pretty bad.'
The Advertiser
36 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Chopper death crash pilot details lies to investigators
A pilot who survived a deadly helicopter crash has detailed lies he told investigators after deleting phone messages, saying he was in a "very bad way" at the time with life-changing injuries. Sebastian Robinson is a paraplegic after the crash in February 2022 that killed Outback Wrangler co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. Mr Robinson is giving evidence in the Supreme Court in Darwin at the trial of reality TV star Matt Wright, who has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Prosecutors allege the helicopter operator was worried crash investigators would discover flight-time meters were disconnected regularly to extend flying hours beyond official thresholds and paperwork was falsified. Mr Wilson fell to the ground from a sling beneath the chopper while collecting crocodile eggs in remote swampland. The aircraft then crashed, seriously injuring Mr Robinson who on Wednesday gave evidence by video link from his wheelchair. The jury heard 10 days after the crash Wright visited Mr Robinson while he was heavily sedated in hospital and asked him to manipulate flying hour records. Under questioning from senior defence counsel for Wright, David Edwardson KC, Mr Robinson admitted he had lied to Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigators around the same time. Among the lies were that before the crash the helicopter was functioning well and he was busy with the role of maintenance controller at Wright's Helibrook company when in fact he held the position in name only. Mr Robinson admitted saying there had only been a spark plug issue with the helicopter when "there were many more problems with the aircraft". He said his condition hindered his proper judgment at the time. "I was in a very bad way." The 32-year-old told the jury on Tuesday he had fractures of his vertebrae, resulting in a complete severance of his spinal cord, rendering him a paraplegic. Both his lungs were punctured, his left elbow and ankles were fractured and he suffered a traumatic brain injury that still causes him cognition problems and mood swings. Mr Edwardson has previously alleged in the lead-up to the crash Mr Robinson was a cocaine-using "party animal" who was "hopeless" at flight record keeping. The court on Wednesday heard Mr Robinson had done contract work with Indigenous groups in Arnhem Land, including Aboriginal rangers. Under questioning by Mr Edwardson, Mr Robinson agreed it was "unforgivable" to supply alcohol or illegal drugs to Indigenous communities where liquor was banned. "There might have been the occasion I'd have a very small amount of alcohol under the seat of the helicopter, but I wasn't supplying a commercial amount," he said. The court heard Wright visited Mr Robinson in Royal Brisbane Hospital when he was heavily sedated with "tubes coming out of me everywhere". Crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC asked Mr Robinson what Wright had requested of him at his hospital bedside and he replied "to manipulate hours on my aircraft". "He asked if I would consider putting any of his hours, from his helicopter, onto my helicopter." The court was told Mr Robinson was being asked to put egg-collecting hours flown on Wright's crashed helicopter onto his helicopter, which was not fitted with equipment for egg collecting. Mr Robinson said he told Wright on a return visit the next day that "I didn't feel comfortable doing it". The court was told Mr Robinson was asked to fly egg-collecting missions in Arnhem Land, where COVID restrictions were in place, because Wright was an anti-vaxxer and could not enter the Indigenous territory. Jurors heard Wright visited Mr Robinson in hospital despite requirements to show a COVID vaccination certificate and having to complete a test for the virus. 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 trial continues. A pilot who survived a deadly helicopter crash has detailed lies he told investigators after deleting phone messages, saying he was in a "very bad way" at the time with life-changing injuries. Sebastian Robinson is a paraplegic after the crash in February 2022 that killed Outback Wrangler co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. Mr Robinson is giving evidence in the Supreme Court in Darwin at the trial of reality TV star Matt Wright, who has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Prosecutors allege the helicopter operator was worried crash investigators would discover flight-time meters were disconnected regularly to extend flying hours beyond official thresholds and paperwork was falsified. Mr Wilson fell to the ground from a sling beneath the chopper while collecting crocodile eggs in remote swampland. The aircraft then crashed, seriously injuring Mr Robinson who on Wednesday gave evidence by video link from his wheelchair. The jury heard 10 days after the crash Wright visited Mr Robinson while he was heavily sedated in hospital and asked him to manipulate flying hour records. Under questioning from senior defence counsel for Wright, David Edwardson KC, Mr Robinson admitted he had lied to Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigators around the same time. Among the lies were that before the crash the helicopter was functioning well and he was busy with the role of maintenance controller at Wright's Helibrook company when in fact he held the position in name only. Mr Robinson admitted saying there had only been a spark plug issue with the helicopter when "there were many more problems with the aircraft". He said his condition hindered his proper judgment at the time. "I was in a very bad way." The 32-year-old told the jury on Tuesday he had fractures of his vertebrae, resulting in a complete severance of his spinal cord, rendering him a paraplegic. Both his lungs were punctured, his left elbow and ankles were fractured and he suffered a traumatic brain injury that still causes him cognition problems and mood swings. Mr Edwardson has previously alleged in the lead-up to the crash Mr Robinson was a cocaine-using "party animal" who was "hopeless" at flight record keeping. The court on Wednesday heard Mr Robinson had done contract work with Indigenous groups in Arnhem Land, including Aboriginal rangers. Under questioning by Mr Edwardson, Mr Robinson agreed it was "unforgivable" to supply alcohol or illegal drugs to Indigenous communities where liquor was banned. "There might have been the occasion I'd have a very small amount of alcohol under the seat of the helicopter, but I wasn't supplying a commercial amount," he said. The court heard Wright visited Mr Robinson in Royal Brisbane Hospital when he was heavily sedated with "tubes coming out of me everywhere". Crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC asked Mr Robinson what Wright had requested of him at his hospital bedside and he replied "to manipulate hours on my aircraft". "He asked if I would consider putting any of his hours, from his helicopter, onto my helicopter." The court was told Mr Robinson was being asked to put egg-collecting hours flown on Wright's crashed helicopter onto his helicopter, which was not fitted with equipment for egg collecting. Mr Robinson said he told Wright on a return visit the next day that "I didn't feel comfortable doing it". The court was told Mr Robinson was asked to fly egg-collecting missions in Arnhem Land, where COVID restrictions were in place, because Wright was an anti-vaxxer and could not enter the Indigenous territory. Jurors heard Wright visited Mr Robinson in hospital despite requirements to show a COVID vaccination certificate and having to complete a test for the virus. 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 trial continues. A pilot who survived a deadly helicopter crash has detailed lies he told investigators after deleting phone messages, saying he was in a "very bad way" at the time with life-changing injuries. Sebastian Robinson is a paraplegic after the crash in February 2022 that killed Outback Wrangler co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. Mr Robinson is giving evidence in the Supreme Court in Darwin at the trial of reality TV star Matt Wright, who has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Prosecutors allege the helicopter operator was worried crash investigators would discover flight-time meters were disconnected regularly to extend flying hours beyond official thresholds and paperwork was falsified. Mr Wilson fell to the ground from a sling beneath the chopper while collecting crocodile eggs in remote swampland. The aircraft then crashed, seriously injuring Mr Robinson who on Wednesday gave evidence by video link from his wheelchair. The jury heard 10 days after the crash Wright visited Mr Robinson while he was heavily sedated in hospital and asked him to manipulate flying hour records. Under questioning from senior defence counsel for Wright, David Edwardson KC, Mr Robinson admitted he had lied to Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigators around the same time. Among the lies were that before the crash the helicopter was functioning well and he was busy with the role of maintenance controller at Wright's Helibrook company when in fact he held the position in name only. Mr Robinson admitted saying there had only been a spark plug issue with the helicopter when "there were many more problems with the aircraft". He said his condition hindered his proper judgment at the time. "I was in a very bad way." The 32-year-old told the jury on Tuesday he had fractures of his vertebrae, resulting in a complete severance of his spinal cord, rendering him a paraplegic. Both his lungs were punctured, his left elbow and ankles were fractured and he suffered a traumatic brain injury that still causes him cognition problems and mood swings. Mr Edwardson has previously alleged in the lead-up to the crash Mr Robinson was a cocaine-using "party animal" who was "hopeless" at flight record keeping. The court on Wednesday heard Mr Robinson had done contract work with Indigenous groups in Arnhem Land, including Aboriginal rangers. Under questioning by Mr Edwardson, Mr Robinson agreed it was "unforgivable" to supply alcohol or illegal drugs to Indigenous communities where liquor was banned. "There might have been the occasion I'd have a very small amount of alcohol under the seat of the helicopter, but I wasn't supplying a commercial amount," he said. The court heard Wright visited Mr Robinson in Royal Brisbane Hospital when he was heavily sedated with "tubes coming out of me everywhere". Crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC asked Mr Robinson what Wright had requested of him at his hospital bedside and he replied "to manipulate hours on my aircraft". "He asked if I would consider putting any of his hours, from his helicopter, onto my helicopter." The court was told Mr Robinson was being asked to put egg-collecting hours flown on Wright's crashed helicopter onto his helicopter, which was not fitted with equipment for egg collecting. Mr Robinson said he told Wright on a return visit the next day that "I didn't feel comfortable doing it". The court was told Mr Robinson was asked to fly egg-collecting missions in Arnhem Land, where COVID restrictions were in place, because Wright was an anti-vaxxer and could not enter the Indigenous territory. Jurors heard Wright visited Mr Robinson in hospital despite requirements to show a COVID vaccination certificate and having to complete a test for the virus. 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 trial continues. A pilot who survived a deadly helicopter crash has detailed lies he told investigators after deleting phone messages, saying he was in a "very bad way" at the time with life-changing injuries. Sebastian Robinson is a paraplegic after the crash in February 2022 that killed Outback Wrangler co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. Mr Robinson is giving evidence in the Supreme Court in Darwin at the trial of reality TV star Matt Wright, who has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Prosecutors allege the helicopter operator was worried crash investigators would discover flight-time meters were disconnected regularly to extend flying hours beyond official thresholds and paperwork was falsified. Mr Wilson fell to the ground from a sling beneath the chopper while collecting crocodile eggs in remote swampland. The aircraft then crashed, seriously injuring Mr Robinson who on Wednesday gave evidence by video link from his wheelchair. The jury heard 10 days after the crash Wright visited Mr Robinson while he was heavily sedated in hospital and asked him to manipulate flying hour records. Under questioning from senior defence counsel for Wright, David Edwardson KC, Mr Robinson admitted he had lied to Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigators around the same time. Among the lies were that before the crash the helicopter was functioning well and he was busy with the role of maintenance controller at Wright's Helibrook company when in fact he held the position in name only. Mr Robinson admitted saying there had only been a spark plug issue with the helicopter when "there were many more problems with the aircraft". He said his condition hindered his proper judgment at the time. "I was in a very bad way." The 32-year-old told the jury on Tuesday he had fractures of his vertebrae, resulting in a complete severance of his spinal cord, rendering him a paraplegic. Both his lungs were punctured, his left elbow and ankles were fractured and he suffered a traumatic brain injury that still causes him cognition problems and mood swings. Mr Edwardson has previously alleged in the lead-up to the crash Mr Robinson was a cocaine-using "party animal" who was "hopeless" at flight record keeping. The court on Wednesday heard Mr Robinson had done contract work with Indigenous groups in Arnhem Land, including Aboriginal rangers. Under questioning by Mr Edwardson, Mr Robinson agreed it was "unforgivable" to supply alcohol or illegal drugs to Indigenous communities where liquor was banned. "There might have been the occasion I'd have a very small amount of alcohol under the seat of the helicopter, but I wasn't supplying a commercial amount," he said. The court heard Wright visited Mr Robinson in Royal Brisbane Hospital when he was heavily sedated with "tubes coming out of me everywhere". Crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC asked Mr Robinson what Wright had requested of him at his hospital bedside and he replied "to manipulate hours on my aircraft". "He asked if I would consider putting any of his hours, from his helicopter, onto my helicopter." The court was told Mr Robinson was being asked to put egg-collecting hours flown on Wright's crashed helicopter onto his helicopter, which was not fitted with equipment for egg collecting. Mr Robinson said he told Wright on a return visit the next day that "I didn't feel comfortable doing it". The court was told Mr Robinson was asked to fly egg-collecting missions in Arnhem Land, where COVID restrictions were in place, because Wright was an anti-vaxxer and could not enter the Indigenous territory. Jurors heard Wright visited Mr Robinson in hospital despite requirements to show a COVID vaccination certificate and having to complete a test for the virus. 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 trial continues.
Daily Telegraph
an hour ago
- Daily Telegraph
House where Fadi Ibrahim was shot returns to the market
One of the nation's leading endocrine surgeons is selling Castle Cove's most infamous house – the former home of Sydney identity Fadi Ibrahim – who survived a shooting outside the property back in 2009. Clinical professor Dr Mark Sywak specialises in minimal invasive surgery for thyroid and adrenal glands and is recognised as a world leader. MORE: Trick rich are using to get $200m+ mansions He purchased the luxury Castle Cove home on Sydney's affluent North Shore in 2016 paying $4.31m and now after raising his family he and his wife Alex are letting it go and moving closer to the ocean. 'We knew who owned the house and we found them to be a wonderful normal couple,' Dr Sywak said. 'We also thought they had quite good taste,' he added. SHOT IN HIS Lamborghini Fadi Ibrahim is one of the Ibrahim brothers now based in Sydney's eastern suburbs. His brother John is a former nightclub owner and author who is the subject of the television series The Last King Of The Cross which follows the fortunes of John and his brother Sam. In 2006 Fadi built a substantial five-bedroom home in the sedate leafy suburb of Castle Cove choosing a large corner block opposite the golf course and tennis courts and paying $1.05m for the site. RELATED: Rare look into Chris Hemsworth's $50m Byron home Three years later he was shot through an open window while he and his girlfriend were sitting outside the house in their Lamborghini car. Mr Ibrahim was gunned down and shot five times which left him in a coma for several weeks. His girlfriend at the time and now wife, Shayda Ibrahim, who was also in the car, was shot in the thigh. No one has been charged over the shooting. Police later charged the couple, along with Mr Ibrahim's younger brother Michael and others for conspiring to kill family rival John Macris after mistakenly believing he was behind the shooting of Fadi, but the charges were later dropped. Fadi spared no expense in a rebuild dedicating a whole top floor to a retreat with a 10.7m long bedroom, a vast ensuite with black marble double spa bath, three vanities, two showers and two toilets. And the walk-in wardrobe off the bedroom is huge – bigger than any of the four other bedrooms. Plus the bedroom has its own deep east-facing balcony and media hub. The Sywaks also love the secret door from the main lounge to the whole floor parents retreat. 'We moved in with four children and there is lots of space for them to have their friends while we retreat upstairs,' he said. MORE: Free rent deals on the rise The house is built like a bunker, covers 485 sqm of floor space and has two large living rooms, a renovated main stone kitchen, a second kitchen next to the double garage – ideal for large scale food storage – a wine cellar with tasting room and four bathrooms. Outside there are two entertaining terraces, both with barbecues, one beside the swimming pool and one just outside the main living room with stackable doors opening right up to the northern sun. MORE: Trump's newest tower has bizarre pool boast Solar panels have been added to the roof for sustainability and the property has excellent security and storage. Agent Stefon Bertram, of Pello Lower North Shore, said the workmanship in the Neerim Rd house is second to none with joinery alone costing $1m. 'It is also close to the shops and village, very private and very practical,' he said. Number 3 Neerim Rd goes to auction on Saturday September 6 and although a guide has yet to be set, bidding in the early $6ms is expected.
