Latest news with #WildHarvestNT
West Australian
11 hours ago
- West Australian
Matt Wright trial: Chopper crash pilot's brother says Sebastian Robinson used cocaine on Croc Wrangler's boat
Chopper crash pilot Sebastian Robinson was seen using cocaine just once by his brother — at a bucks party on Matt Wright's boat, the jury in a celebrity croc-wrangler's trial has heard. Zachary Chellingworth testified at the trial of Outback Wrangler host Matt Wright, who is accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice over the chopper crash which killed his Netflix co-star Chris Wilson. Under cross examination Mr Chellingworth admitted his brother had used cocaine but he 'cannot name the time' three times. 'I was aware of my brother's cocaine use . . . that it was few and far between,' he said 'He did not take drugs on a regular occasion. I'm his big brother so I know.' Mr Wright's lawyer David Edwardson KC insisted the witness reveal the time and place he had seen Mr Robinson consume cocaine. 'It was my bucks party on Matt Wright's boat,' he said, which was in 2016. Earlier Mr Chellingworth, a licensed aircraft maintenance engineer for CareFlight, recalled the morning he discovered his brother had been involved in a fatal crash. 'I received a phone call from mum, and she was quite distraught, telling me that Sebastian had been in an accident,' he said. 'Pretty much my colleagues have been dispatched to the site.' The court heard that Mr Robinson lived in a cottage on the sprawling Darwin property of Wild Harvest NT director Mick Burns, who had contracted the egg collecting mission. Mr Robinson's hangar is also on Mr Burns' property. Mr Chellingworth told the jury that after the crash, Mr Burns informed him and his mother that Mr Wright had 'collected the logbooks' from Mr Robinson's home. 'Mick Burns had notified myself and mum that Matt Wright had collected the log books from Mick Burns' residence, which is where Sebastian lives, and he (Mr Wright) had given them to a pilot named Jock Purcell and Jock Purcell held on to them,' he said. Mr Chellingworth said that after being told this, he went to Mr Purcell's home – about a week after the crash – to retrieve the logbooks. He said Mr Purcell was not home when he arrived but his wife handed them over. 'It was Sebastian's aircraft log book,' he said. 'It was in between A4 and A5 size, (inaudible) backing and gold writing. 'Every time Seb flies, he logs it in that logbook.' Soon after, Mr Chellingworth visited Mr Robinson at the Royal Brisbane Hospital where Matt Wright is accused of pressuring the pilot to falsify flight records after the crash. He confirmed COVID restrictions were in place and he had to provide proof of vaccination to gain entry to the hospital. Mr Chellingworth said he was in his brother's private hospital room when Mr Wright arrived at the hospital with his wife Kaia and their young son to visit. He told the court that he stayed in the room throughout the Wrights' hour-long visit. 'He (Mr Wright) was carrying some type of documentation,' Mr Chellingworth said. 'Matt Wright had said to Sebastian 'I need you to take 15 to 20 hours off IDW, the crash helicopter, and put them onto (his own helicopter) ZXZ' because they were hours unaccounted for. 'Sebastian responded and he said 'no'. 'He (Mr Wright) said, 'it's OK if you don't want to do it and we'll find another way'.' Mr Chellingworth said Mr Wright also asked his brother to delete any texts, videos, notes and phone calls in relation to the crash. 'No he did not physically get hold of the phone,' he said. 'He asked Sebastian to delete things. 'Sebastian disagreed.' Mr Chellingworth said the rest of the conversation was 'general chit chat about the helicopter and the accident'. He did not recall Mr Wright leaving any documents at the hospital. Mr Edwardson accused Mr Chellingworth of inventing his claims about Mr Wright's alleged actions during the March 11 hospital visit to protect his sibling. 'You, your mother and brother (Mr Robinson) have manufactured these claims against Matt Wright,' the lawyer suggested to the witness. 'You're making it up as you go along, aren't you?' Mr Chellingworth replied, 'it's not true'. 'I'm telling the truth,' he said. The trial before Acting Justice Alan Blow continues.
Perth Now
11 hours ago
- Perth Now
Bombshell bucks party revelation at Outback Wrangler trial
Chopper crash pilot Sebastian Robinson was seen using cocaine just once by his brother — at a bucks party on Matt Wright's boat, the jury in a celebrity croc-wrangler's trial has heard. Zachary Chellingworth testified at the trial of Outback Wrangler host Matt Wright, who is accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice over the chopper crash which killed his Netflix co-star Chris Wilson. Under cross examination Mr Chellingworth admitted his brother had used cocaine but he 'cannot name the time' three times. 'I was aware of my brother's cocaine use . . . that it was few and far between,' he said 'He did not take drugs on a regular occasion. I'm his big brother so I know.' Mr Wright's lawyer David Edwardson KC insisted the witness reveal the time and place he had seen Mr Robinson consume cocaine. 'It was my bucks party on Matt Wright's boat,' he said, which was in 2016. Earlier Mr Chellingworth, a licensed aircraft maintenance engineer for CareFlight, recalled the morning he discovered his brother had been involved in a fatal crash. 'I received a phone call from mum, and she was quite distraught, telling me that Sebastian had been in an accident,' he said. 'Pretty much my colleagues have been dispatched to the site.' Chris Wilson with his wife Danielle. Credit: Supplied The court heard that Mr Robinson lived in a cottage on the sprawling Darwin property of Wild Harvest NT director Mick Burns, who had contracted the egg collecting mission. Mr Robinson's hangar is also on Mr Burns' property. Mr Chellingworth told the jury that after the crash, Mr Burns informed him and his mother that Mr Wright had 'collected the logbooks' from Mr Robinson's home. 'Mick Burns had notified myself and mum that Matt Wright had collected the log books from Mick Burns' residence, which is where Sebastian lives, and he (Mr Wright) had given them to a pilot named Jock Purcell and Jock Purcell held on to them,' he said. Mr Chellingworth said that after being told this, he went to Mr Purcell's home – about a week after the crash – to retrieve the logbooks. He said Mr Purcell was not home when he arrived but his wife handed them over. 'It was Sebastian's aircraft log book,' he said. 'It was in between A4 and A5 size, (inaudible) backing and gold writing. 'Every time Seb flies, he logs it in that logbook.' Soon after, Mr Chellingworth visited Mr Robinson at the Royal Brisbane Hospital where Matt Wright is accused of pressuring the pilot to falsify flight records after the crash. He confirmed COVID restrictions were in place and he had to provide proof of vaccination to gain entry to the hospital. Mr Chellingworth said he was in his brother's private hospital room when Mr Wright arrived at the hospital with his wife Kaia and their young son to visit. He told the court that he stayed in the room throughout the Wrights' hour-long visit. 'He (Mr Wright) was carrying some type of documentation,' Mr Chellingworth said. 'Matt Wright had said to Sebastian 'I need you to take 15 to 20 hours off IDW, the crash helicopter, and put them onto (his own helicopter) ZXZ' because they were hours unaccounted for. 'Sebastian responded and he said 'no'. 'He (Mr Wright) said, 'it's OK if you don't want to do it and we'll find another way'.' Mr Chellingworth said Mr Wright also asked his brother to delete any texts, videos, notes and phone calls in relation to the crash. 'No he did not physically get hold of the phone,' he said. 'He asked Sebastian to delete things. 'Sebastian disagreed.' Mr Chellingworth said the rest of the conversation was 'general chit chat about the helicopter and the accident'. He did not recall Mr Wright leaving any documents at the hospital. Mr Edwardson accused Mr Chellingworth of inventing his claims about Mr Wright's alleged actions during the March 11 hospital visit to protect his sibling. 'You, your mother and brother (Mr Robinson) have manufactured these claims against Matt Wright,' the lawyer suggested to the witness. 'You're making it up as you go along, aren't you?' Mr Chellingworth replied, 'it's not true'. 'I'm telling the truth,' he said. The trial before Acting Justice Alan Blow continues.
West Australian
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Trial for Outback Wrangler Matt Wright hears explosive claims
A Netflix reality star 'idolised' by his staff was an 'anti-vaxxer' who broke Covid-19 laws and was allegedly secretly recorded talking about tinkering with flight records while visiting a chopper crash survivor left paraplegic in hospital, a jury has heard. The extraordinary claims about Outback Wrangler Matt Wright were made this week during his trial in the Northern Territory Supreme Court, where he is charged with three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice. The 45-year-old celebrity is accused of failing to accurately record flight times in the Robinson-R-44 that crashed in February 2022, killing his co-star Chris 'Willow' Wilson. It is not alleged Mr Wright is responsible for the crash. Mr Wilson, 34, was dangling from a sling attached to the helicopter during a dangerous crocodile egg collecting mission when the chopper crashed in Arnhem Land. CHOPPER RECORDS ALLEGEDLY FUDGED Pilot Seb Robinson, who survived the crash but is now a paraplegic, testified his former boss was an 'anti-vaxxer' despite Mr Wright going to two Covid restricted areas – the remote helicopter crash site and the injured pilot's Brisbane hospital room. He told the jury the main reason Mr Wright was not on the egg mission was 'because he was an anti-vaxxer'. At the time, there were strict Covid rules for anyone entering remote areas in the Territory, where they needed to provide proof of vaccination and take a rapid antigen test. The jury previously heard Mr Wright flew to the crash site with Wild Harvest NT director Mick Burns and off-duty senior NT Police officer Neil Mellon. Following the crash, Mr Robinson spent one month in hospital, where Covid restrictions meant two people could visit and everyone needed to provide a valid vaccination certificate. Mr Robinson said he had just come out of a coma, was heavily sedated and 'hallucinating' but 'vaguely' remembered a visit from Mr Wright and his 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 – with the call sign IDW – to Mr Robinson's personal chopper, with the call sign ZXZ. Mr Robinson, 28, 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 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 Robinson admitted he initially repeatedly lied to investigators because he 'panicked' and was worried about losing his pilot's licence. PILOT'S COCAINE PARTYING Mr Robinson admitted he used cocaine 'a couple times a year' – up to 10 times over 12 months – but he denied he was a 'raging cocaine junkie'. The former pilot said he had never flown a helicopter while intoxicated, either by drugs or alcohol. He admitted he sometimes supplied cocaine for his mates and footy players, as well as flying small amounts of booze into Aboriginal communities. But Mr Robinson denied being a 'drug dealer' while being questioned about a series of texts about his wild partying. Mr Wright's defence counsel David Edwardson accused Mr Robinson of 'sourcing and supplying' cocaine from 2018 to the time of the crash. Mr Edwardson read messages from the pilot's friends asking 'are you getting more coke?', 'Seb any chance you know where to get the good stuff?' and 'anyone got bags?'. In one message exchange, Mr Robinson told a friend he was 'crook as a dog', with his mate replying 'snorting too much coke out of Matty's arse?'. Mr Robinson said the friend knew Mr Wright. But the lawyer has said the reality star had a 'zero tolerance' approach to drugs. Under cross-examination, Mr Robinson was also grilled about a message sent to a mate in November 2019, saying there were 'footy players in town wanting bags' and other texts referring to 'zingers' and 'pills'. 'Are you implying I'm a drug dealer? … No,' Mr Robinson said. While Mr Robinson did not believe he was a trafficker, Justice Alan Blow explained: 'It is trafficking, even if you're not making any money for yourself.' Trace amounts of cocaine were detected in Mr Robinson's blood, which prosecutor Jason Gullaci said experts were likely to say was from use days before the crash. Mr Robinson admitted to flying in booze to remote communities, but said he did not sell the alcohol. He said 'on occasion' he would take a small amount of alcohol under the seat of his chopper for people in Arnhem Land. PILOT'S INJURIES Mr Robinson said his last memory from that fateful day was 'having a laugh' with his mate in the chopper. The jury was shown a photo of Mr Wilson piloting the Robinson R-44, with the image appearing to capture the fuel gauge between three-quarters and completely full mark. Mr Robinson said at that level, the helicopter should have been able to travel from Noonamah to King River and back. He became emotional as he shared his next memory – waking up in hospital, then being told his friend was dead and he would likely never walk again. Mr Robinson's spinal cord was completely severed, he had 12 broken ribs and puncturing in his lungs. His neck, elbow and both ankles were also fractured. He said he struggled with his memory due to a traumatic brain injury. NETFLIX STAR AN 'IDOL' Fellow helicopter pilot Jock Purcell told the jury he took official aviation records from Mr Robinson's home two days after the crash but could not recall who asked him to do it. He said he did not show the logbook to anyone or take photos of the official records, but was later asked by Mr Robinson to return the records. 'I took it home, and then Seb's brothers come and got it from my house,' Mr Purcell said. However, in a tapped telephone conversation between Mr Purcell and Mr Wright five months after the crash, the pair allegedly discussed Mr Robinson talking to investigators, the crashed chopper's maintenance release and Hobbs Meter, which records flight hours. 'Something had gone on with the Hobbs there, I dunno, they've moved it forward or some f***ing thing as well,' Mr Wright said. 'I'm just trying to think how much Sebby's, or what Sebby's tried to say to them, if anything even.' The pair then said some of that information could have been gathered from the maintenance release, which pilots fill out to record flight hours and service histories of helicopters. Three years after the bugged call, Mr Purcell told the court he was unsure if it was related to the crash investigation. Mr Purcell, who arrived at the crash scene, initially said he did not remember anyone approaching but then said the only thing removed were a few headsets. However, under cross examination, Mr Purcell said: 'I know someone lifted the dash of the helicopter.' Mr Purcell said he checked to see why the chopper might have gone down, and happened to notice the Hobbs Meter was connected. But Mr Gullaci alleged the sole purpose for Mr Purcell to look under the dash was to inspect this device 'because you knew there was a practice among Matt Wright's helicopters of the Hobbs Meter being disconnected'. 'And you wanted to see whether it was connected or not, for when investigators turned up to look at the crashed helicopter?' Mr Gullaci asked. Mr Purcell said he did not believe that was the case. When asked what else he could have been inspecting, the experienced pilot said: 'I'm not an investigator so I don't know.' However, Mr Purcell had already conceded there was a pattern of not recording flight hours, and had previously seen both Mr Wright and Mr Robinson disconnect the Hobbs Meter. He said there were times when the flight hour recorder was disconnected because 'it was getting close to service'. Mr Robinson also made full admissions to the jury of his own dodgy record keeping practices, which he said were common across the Territory helicopter industry. After almost a decade in the industry, Mr Robinson alleged he had worked for two other businesses which had similarly failed to properly record flight hours. Mr Robinson agreed he continued to 'break the rules' while working at Mr Wright's company. '(Mr Wright) would say 'pop the clock for this trip',' Mr Robinson alleged. He also said Mr Wright 'controlled all aspects of his aircraft regarding maintenance scheduling'. Mr Robinson said employees 'absolutely' followed Mr Wright's directions. 'We were young men, we looked up to him,' he said. 'Everyone looked at Matt as an idol. He'd say 'jump' and they'd say 'how high?' 'He had an aura about him. 'Everyone wanted to be around him, work for him, everyone bent over backwards to try and be a part of what he was doing.' The trial continues.
Perth Now
7 days ago
- Perth Now
Bombshell claim on ‘anti-vax' Netflix star
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. Croc egg collector Chris Wilson was killed, while his pilot Sebastian Robinson was critically injured in a helicopter crash on the King River, West Arnhem on February 28. Credit: News Corp Australia 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'. Seb Robinson. Instagram Credit: News Corp Australia 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. Matt Wright trial guide 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. A jury has heard allegations Mr Wright asked to go through the pilot's phone 'and delete a few things' after the crash. NewsWire / Pema Tamang Pakhrin Credit: NewsWire 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. Crown Prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC. NewsWire / Pema Tamang Pakhrin Credit: NewsWire 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.
Sydney Morning Herald
07-08-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Crocodile egg collector cries at outback reality TV star's trial
A seasoned crocodile egg collector has been brought to tears in court after being asked how he learned of Outback Wrangler co-star Chris 'Willow' Wilson's fatal helicopter crash. Michael 'Mick' Burns of Wild Harvest NT was the first witness in the Supreme Court trial of the reality TV show's other star, Matt Wright, who has been charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice after the February 2022 crash. The crown case is that Wright did not properly record helicopter flying hours and was concerned crash investigators would uncover the issue, triggering possible charges against him and his company. Wright has pleaded not guilty to three charges. Crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC told the jury the charges did not relate to the cause of the accident and it was not alleged Wright was responsible for the crash or the death. Mr Wilson was in a sling under the helicopter on a crocodile-egg collecting mission when it plunged to the ground, killing him and critically injuring pilot Sebastian Robinson, who is now a paraplegic. The crash happened on a paperbark swamp along the King River in Arnhem Land, a remote part of the Northern Territory. Mr Burns on Thursday told the jury one of his employees rang him on the morning of the crash.
