Latest news with #WestArnhemLand
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Daily Mail
Tears flow in court in VERY emotional scenes at the Outback Wrangler trial - as wife, widow and witness all weep for beloved Willow killed in tragic chopper crash amid new revelations
The first witness in Outback Wrangler Matt Wright 's trial wept in court after he was quizzed about the dead man at the centre of the case, Chris 'Willow' Wilson. NT Crocodile King Michael 'Mick' Burns broke down in tears after prosecutor Jason Gullaci asked if he had been close to the daredevil crocodile egg-collector. Willow's widow Dani, who has been a regular at court, also wiped tears from her face as Mr Burns sobbed in the witness box. Wright, who has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice, bowed his head to his knees and looked straight down. Wright's wife Kaia also needed tissues during the emotional courtroom scenes. Mr Wilson was suspended in a 30m sling beneath a Robinson R44 helicopter to pluck the eggs from croc nests when it crashed on February 28, 2022. The helicopter, referred to as 'IDW' in the trial, crashed in a paperbark swamp near King River, a remote part of West Arnhem Land, 500km east of Darwin. The father-of-two allegedly fell more than 5m to his death in the tragedy. Wright, 45, denies accusations he attempted to meddle with the investigation in the aftermath of the horror tragedy which left pilot Seb Robinson, who the jury was told was a 'recreational cocaine user', a paraplegic. The jury was earlier told the former Netflix croc celebrity was caught discussing a plot to destroy the character and reputation of Mr Robinson. Mr Gullaci said a covert recording between Wright and associate Jai Tomlinson where they discussed a plot to tarnish the former pilot will be played to the jury. The Victorian-based silk read excerpts of the recording made in September 2025, in which Mr Tomlinson and Wright discus the paraplegic pilot. 'I'll just say he's a s*** pilot,' Wright allegedly said. 'Yeah, work on his character,' Mr Tomlinson allegedly responded. In a previous conversation covertly recorded at Wright's Queensland home on September 23, 2022, the wrangler and Tomlinson discussed the investigation. 'Oh, yeah, now, but now everyone's f***ing now they are starting to put the pressure on everyone,' Wright allegedly said. 'You know, they would start squealing.' Tomlinson allegedly responded: 'One's word against another.' The jury previously heard allegations Wright visited Mr Robinson at a Queensland hospital on March 11 and March 13 2022 to pressure his former pilot into altering flight hour records. Mr Gullaci alleged Wright brought a Maintenance Release (MR) document for Mr Robinson's helicopter known as 'ZXZ'. At the first visit on March 11, Wright asked Mr Robinson to take some hours of the crashed 'IDW' and put them onto his 'ZXZ' helicopter. Kaia and Mr Robinson's mother Noelene Chellingworth and brother Zac Chellingworth were also present during the first visit. The court heard Wright left the document at the hospital for Mr Robinson to sign before he returned on March 13. Mr Gullaci told the jury Mr Robinson's uncle James Carew partially recorded the conversation between Wright and the paraplegic pilot. 'He wanted him to falsely take those hours,' Mr Gullaci said. Mr Gullaci repeated his reference from yesterday that Wright was 'no Robinson Crusoe' before adding a lot of helicopter operators had lax flight hour recording practises. The 14-person jury was told Mr Chellingworth heard Wright say during a hospital visit that he needed Mr Robinson 'to take 1520 hours off IDW and put them on ZXZ because they were hours unaccounted for'. 'I just need those hours from that machine... just as long as Sebby signs, Sebby has to sign for that, where does he sign,' Wright was allegedly captured on the recording. The prosecution also alleged Wright 'never produced' the original Maintenance Release document for IDW despite being requested by authorities to do so. It's also alleged Wright ordered Mr Tomlinson to destroy the MR with those orders allegedly caught on a covert recording. The court heard Wright allegedly told Mr Tomlinson he would likely find the MR in a box marked 'office' at his company base in the NT. 'Just torch it, I don't know where it is,' Wright allegedly told Mr Tomlinson. 'I reckon CASA [Civil Aviation Safety Authority] are chasing the original to set us up, I don't remember signing it... just burn the c***.' Mr Burns commenced giving evidence shortly after the prosecution completed its trial opening and lead defence barrister David Edwardson KC gave a brief response. The experienced croc farmer and egg collector known locally as NT's Crocodile King told the jury how he flew to the crash site with Wright and former NT cop Neill Melon as soon as heard about the accident. Mr Burns said he had flown to Darwin on the morning of the crash but returned as fast as he could to the scene. He said the first thing he did when he arrived was to see his 'great mate Willow'. The emotionally-charged courtroom heard how Mr Burns flew in a CareFlight with Mr Wilson's body then spoke to his parents. The court heard on Wednesday that Wright was probed for his alleged actions following the crash, between March and September 2022, in Darwin and other locations. At the centre of the case is the allegation that Wright impeded the investigation in the months following the fatal crash. Prosecutors allege Wright did not properly follow maintenance rules for his helicopters and had attempted to conceal this after the crash. On Wednesday, Mr Gullaci told the jury that multiple conversations Wright had with his wife were covertly recorded, including one discussion which occurred on September 22, 2022. The jury heard Kaia asked her husband that if he was being honest, how many hours did he believe IDW had been overflown? Mr Gullaci explained the model of helicopter involved in the crash needed to be scrapped, or undertake a $400,000 overhaul, once it reached 2,200 recorded flight hours. The jury also heard the helicopter needed to be serviced every 50 hours, according to Australian aviation regulations. In the recording, the jury heard Wright said: 'A couple of hundred, I think, ten percent… I think 200.' Mr Gullaci also said Wright and his wife discussed how he didn't properly log hours, and he didn't even own a 'f***ing book', which the jury heard was meant to mean a helicopter flight hours logbook. Wright also feared video footage of his helicopters taken during TV production and other times could lead investigators to conclude the recorded flight times did not correlate. Mr Gullaci said Wright, in his role as owner and chief pilot of Helibrook, was motivated to cover his tracks because he hadn't kept proper records. The jury heard allegations Helibrook pilots regularly failed to record flight hours and Wright ordered pilots not to record to flight hours. Mr Gullaci said it was the prosecution case Wright had a motivation to 'actively' meddle with the investigation because he believed if his under-recording of hours was uncovered could be considered a reason for the deadly crash. The jury heard IDW was registered to fly with Helibrook in 2020 and a company owned by Wright purchased when it had 1,594 hours on the clock and when it crashed it had 2,070 recorded hours – 130 hours under the threshold. The prosecution alleged the helicopter had flown more than 2,200 hours and Wright had attempted to cover the bogus numbers up. Mr Gullaci acknowledged slinging for croc eggs was 'incredibly brave and risky and dangerous due to the remote nature of the job. Mr Gullaci also stressed that Wright was not responsible for the death of Mr Wilson or Mr Robinson's serious injury. The court also heard Wright and the other men including Mr Burns who rushed to the accident scene in another helicopter was also 'incredibly brave'. Mr Gullaci acknowledged slinging for croc eggs was 'incredibly brave and risky and dangerous due to the remote nature of the job. Mr Gullaci also stressed that Wright was not responsible for the death of Mr Wilson or Mr Robinson's serious injury. The court also heard Wright and two other men rushed to the accident scene in another helicopter which was also 'incredibly brave'. Other witnesses in the trial will include the pilots, as well as fellow TV crew members, major Top End business figures and crocodile egg collectors. Wright's lead role in Outback Wrangler - before launching his Netflix and Channel Nine spin-off - was believed to have earned him at least $250,000 per season. Wild Croc Territory featured Wright as both the main star and executive producer, working alongside his agent, Nick Fordham, further boosting his income. However, the first season of the show, which co-starred Mr Wilson, was derailed by the tragic crash that led to his death. After the accident, Netflix continued to stream the first season of Wild Croc Territory despite a request from Ms Wilson to cease, but a planned second season for 2023 has never aired. Wright previously had endorsement deals with Ariat, Yokohama Tyres Australia and Otis Eyewear. Tourism Australia also dropped him as a 'Friends of Australia' ambassador. The trial at the Northern Territory Supreme Court in Darwin continues.
Daily Mail
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Outback Wrangler Matt Wright is supported by his wife as he enters plea over helicopter crash that killed his co-star
Outback Wrangler's Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice more than three years after a fatal helicopter crash. 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 fronted the Supreme Court in Darwin on Monday. He entered not guilty pleas for three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice when he was arraigned, kissing his wife during an adjournment. The 2022 crash in remote West Arnhem Land killed Mr Wilson, with pilot Sebastian Robinson also seriously injured. The trial is scheduled to begin on Wednesday and is expected to take four weeks, hearing from about 25 witnesses. Wright rose to fame starring in National Geographic's Outback Wrangler and Netflix series Wild Croc Territory.
The Guardian
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright pleads not guilty to charges after fatal helicopter crash
Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice more than three years after a fatal helicopter crash. The celebrity croc-wrangler was charged after 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 fronted the supreme court in Darwin on Monday. He entered not guilty pleas for three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice when he was arraigned, kissing his wife during an adjournment. The 2022 crash in remote West Arnhem Land killed Wilson, with pilot Sebastian Robinson also seriously injured. The trial is scheduled to begin on Wednesday and is expected to take four weeks, hearing from about 25 witnesses. Wright rose to fame starring in National Geographic's Outback Wrangler and the Netflix series Wild Croc Territory.
Daily Mail
18-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Outback Wrangler Matt Wright hit with new bombshell charges over the helicopter crash that killed his co-star and paralysed the pilot
Matt Wright is facing two further criminal charges in the Northern Territory Supreme Court following a fatal helicopter crash that killed his co-star Chris 'Willow' Wilson. The TV personality and crocodile wrangler had been scheduled to front Darwin court in early July over one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice. But during a pre-trial hearing via Teams on Wednesday, the charges changed. A Director of Public Prosecutions spokesperson said Wright is facing three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice rather than one, reported. The charges are related to events which allegedly took place following the helicopter going down in West Arnhem Land in February 2022. Mr Wilson plunged to his death in a remote area of the Northern Territory while dangling from a helicopter owned by Wright as he collected crocodile eggs. He is survived by his wife Danielle and their two young sons. The pilot, 28-year-old Sebastian Robinson, was seriously injured during the crash and has been left a paraplegic. Wright was not aboard the helicopter. Following the incident, Wright and his pilot Michael Burbidge were allegedly first on the scene, with former NT police officer Neil Mellon. The three were later charged over their alleged actions following the crash. Burbidge was fined $15,000 after he pleaded guilty to destruction of evidence, for disposing of Mr Wilson's phone. Mellon was sentenced to eight months behind bars after pleading guilty to offences including, six counts of disclosing confidential information, destroying evidence and obtaining a benefit by deception. Charges against both men of attempting to pervert the course of justice were withdrawn. Wright has consistently denied all allegations against him. His legal team declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia. During the hearing, Justice Blow heard that the prosecution expected to call 56 witnesses for the eight-week trial, NT News reported. Defence barrister Luke Officer told the court that it was 'inconceivable' to complete preparations within four weeks before the trial was due to begin. Prosecutor James Moore argued the defence did not adequately engage when it was finalising the list of matters. Justice Blow set the trial date to July 28. Wright was also facing an additional six charges which are understood to have remained before the Local Court. They include one count of menacing or intimidating chopper pilot Sebastian Robinson, one count of making a false declaration, one count of fabricating evidence, one count of destroying evidence and two counts of unlawful entry. Wright is yet to enter pleas to those charges but, in a statement released in 2023, he said he was 'hopeful the remaining charges will all be withdrawn once this charge (of perverting the course of justice) is dealt with'.
ABC News
18-06-2025
- ABC News
Celebrity crocodile wrangler Matt Wright's NT Supreme Court trial delayed
The highly anticipated Supreme Court trial of celebrity crocodile wrangler Matt Wright has been delayed by three weeks and is now set to start on July 28. The star of Netflix's Wild Croc Territory and National Geographic's Outback Wrangler was due to face an eight-week trial in the Northern Territory Supreme Court from July 7, for allegedly attempting to pervert the course of justice. The allegations relate to Mr Wright's alleged behaviour following a 2022 fatal helicopter crash during a crocodile egg-collecting mission in West Arnhem Land, which killed his friend and co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson. Helicopter pilot Sebastian Robinson survived the crash with serious injuries. At a pre-trial hearing on Wednesday, Acting Justice Alan Blow set a new trial start date at the request of the defence. The judge issued a suppression order on the reason for the decision. Mr Wright was previously facing one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice, but the court heard the Department of Public Prosecutions had now split that single count into three. It heard the three counts related to allegations Mr Wright lied to police, pressured Mr Robinson to fabricate helicopter flight records so they met service requirements, and destroyed or attempted to destroy evidence. Mr Wright has previously indicated he intends to plead not guilty. During the hearing, defence lawyer Luke Officer told the court Mr Wright was seeking to access more than 100,000 pages of mobile phone records belonging to Mr Robinson's mother, Noelene Chellingworth. The court heard Ms Chellingworth was with Mr Robinson at a Brisbane hospital when it is alleged Mr Wright visited twice to pressure Mr Robinson to falsify helicopter maintenance records. Mr Officer told the court the defence was concerned Ms Chellingworth had been present in all but one of Mr Robinson's interviews with investigators from the police force and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. "It's not only concerning she was allowed to sit in on those interviews, but it's deeply disturbing she was permitted to answer questions on behalf of her son," he said. Mr Officer told the court Ms Chellingworth had a motive to protect her son, given the aircraft safety regulator found evidence of cocaine in Mr Robinson's system and that the helicopter likely crashed due to fuel exhaustion. "Mr Robinson, in large measure, was at fault in some respects, be it refuelling or being under the influence of substances," he said. "We've got cocaine. We've got fuel exhaustion. "[Ms Chellingworth] knows everything about aviation, she's an employee of her son, she's got motive to lie." The lawyer representing the NT police commissioner, Trevor Moses, said the defence had already been given Ms Chellingworth's text messages with Mr Wright, and suggested they wanted to use her phone records to "attack her credibility". "It was not submitted … there was any proper basis to think there was anything on Ms Chellingworth's phone that would be relevant to either way the Crown puts its case … other than a desire to cross-examine or discredit," Mr Moses said. "Ms Chellingworth is, on the Crown case, a relatively minor witness. "Her phone records were chiefly obtained in order to obtain text messages which were quite innocuous between her and Mr Wright arranging visits to hospital." Acting Justice Blow did not make a final decision about Ms Chellingworth's phone records.
