Outback Wrangler Matt Wright has been found guilty of two counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice after a deadly helicopter crash and faces being jailed.
But a Supreme Court jury in Darwin on Friday failed to reach agreement on a third count after a four-week trial.
Wright gave an emotional statement after the decision, saying he was ‘obviously disappointed in the verdict’ and confirmed that an appeal is already underway.
‘This has been a terrible and tragic process for everyone involved. There have been no winners out of it.
‘Willow’s family have lost a father, husband, son and brother. We’ve lost a best mate. Seb is seriously injured and in a wheelchair.
‘The ordeal has been incredibly tough on everyone and it’s always been hard to understand why the focus of these investigations have been solely on me and not into the cause of the crash.’
The Outback Wrangler star was accused of trying to cover up evidence following the February 2022 crash that killed his co-star Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson and left pilot Sebastian Robinson a paraplegic.
The pair were on a crocodile-egg collecting mission in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, with Mr Wilson slung on a line below the chopper to be dropped onto croc nests in remote swampland.
The Air Transport Safety Bureau concluded the helicopter ran out of fuel, causing the engine to shut down and the machine to crash to the ground.
Wright was accused of lying to crash investigators about the amount of fuel in the machine, of trying to get Mr Robinson to falsify flying hours and of asking a friend to ‘torch’ the helicopter’s maintenance release.
Wright sat impassively in the dock as the verdicts were delivered and his defence counsel said his client would appeal the verdicts.
He was granted bail despite the prosecution seeking he go into custody given the seriousness of the offences. The charges against Wright did not relate to the cause of the accident and the prosecution did not allege he was responsible for the crash, Mr Wilson’s death or Mr Robinson’s injuries.
Matt Wright (pictured during the trial with wife Kaia)
Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson died collecting crocodile eggs while slung on a line beneath a helicopter. (HANDOUT/Dani Wilson)
Prosecutors alleged Wright was worried investigators would learn his choppers’ flying-hour meters were regularly disconnected to extend flying hours beyond official thresholds and paperwork was falsified to match.
Senior defence counsel David Edwardson KC worked hard to focus blame on Mr Robinson who was painted as a cocaine-trafficking ‘party animal’.
Wright had earlier pleaded not guilty to all three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The jury for the trial held before Acting Justice Allan Blow on Friday found Wright guilty of two counts.
But they could not reach agreement on a third after they had begun deliberating late on Thursday.
That count regarded Wright asking a friend to ‘torch’ the crashed chopper’s maintenance release in a bid to stop it getting into the hands of air crash investigators. Wright will be sentenced on October 6.
Danielle Wilson, the widow of Wilson, said the decision marks an important step forward for the family.
‘I acknowledge the work of the Northern Territory police force and the Northern Territory Department of Public Prosecution, prosecutions that has brought us to this point.
‘This has never been about theatrics inside or outside of the courtroom, it has been about the conviction of an individual who attempted to pervert the course of justice, and in doing so, denied a complete, thorough and unimpeded investigation into the crash, an investigation that could have provided my two young sons with the answers that they so much deserve.
‘I recognise that the journey is not yet over. There remain outstanding matters, including charges with a WorkSafe jurisdiction a civil a civil claim in the Federal Court of Australia, and the potential for a coronial inquest.
‘These processes are still ahead of us, and I know it will take time. Today’s decision is a significant step forward.
‘It brings us closer to ensuring that justice is served and that truth of what happened is fully acknowledged.
‘My hope is that through this process, lessons are learned, accountability is upheld, and no other family has to endure the ongoing heartbreak that we have.’
