Celebrity crocodile wrangler Matt Wright has been found guilty on two counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice following a month-long Supreme Court trial in Darwin.
Wright, known for hit television shows Wild Croc Territory and Outback Wrangler, was charged in the aftermath of a 2022 helicopter crash that occurred during a crocodile egg-collecting mission in remote Arnhem Land.
Wright’s friend and co-star Chris “Willow” Wilson was killed and the pilot, Sebastian Robinson, sustained life-altering injuries.
After deliberating, the jury unanimously found Wright guilty of attempting to obstruct the crash investigation by lying to police, and asking the injured pilot to falsify flight records.
The jury did not return a verdict on a third charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice, and has now been discharged.
Matt Wright, who has been supported in court each day by his wife Kaia, had pleaded not guilty to all three counts. (ABC News: Michael Parfitt)
The third charge relates to an allegation Wright directed an associate to destroy the maintenance records of the helicopter involved in the fatal crash.
Wright was released on bail after the jury returned its verdict just after 1pm on Friday.
Speaking outside court, Wright said he was “pretty disappointed in the verdict” and would be appealing.
“It’s been a long fight and we’ve got an appeal in process now, and we’ll keep moving forward with this,” he said.
“It’s been devastating for everyone involved.
“It’s definitely tough, very tough on the family.”
He maintained that “our helicopters have always been safe”, but conceded disconnecting Hobbs meters — which record a chopper’s flight hours — was a practice “you do see across the industry from time to time” in the NT.
Danielle Wilson, Mr Wilson’s widow, has been attending the proceedings on each day of the four-week trial.
Speaking outside court on Friday afternoon, she said the day marked “an important moment in a long and painful journey”.
Danielle Wilson’s husband Chris “Willow” Wilson was killed in the 2022 helicopter crash. (ABC News: Michael Parfitt)
“We are now approaching the fourth Father’s Day that my two young sons [are] facing without their dad,” she said.
“Once again, there will be an empty seat at the table, a constant reminder of all that has been taken from us.
“That is our reality, and it is a pain that we live with every single day. It does not go away.”
Ms Wilson said she “respected the decision by the court”, saying it was “clear from evidence that a thorough criminal investigation [had] been carried out”.
“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,” she said.
Detective Senior Sergeant Corey Borton led the investigation into Matt Wright’s case. (ABC News: Michael Parfitt)
Speaking outside court, NT Police Force Detective Senior Sergeant Corey Borton said the jury had “done a great job and a difficult job”.
“My investigation team has spent three years on this job and and got the result that we did,” he said.
“It’s a matter for appeal now. So [there’s] not a lot more I can say.”
Bail granted due to ‘different situation’, judge says
Acting Justice Alan Blow told the court that while he would usually remand an offender in custody, this was “a different situation”.
He said if it was not for the fact it was “extremely unlikely there will not be an appeal” of the verdict, along with a question of law having already been reserved for further decision, Wright would have been spending the night in jail.
“It would ordinarily be my practice to remand in custody at this stage on an offence of this seriousness and leave it to the defendant to institute an appeal and apply for appeal bail, but this is a different situation,” he said.
“In effect, I’m asked to grant appeal bail and I think that’s the preferable course, just, so bail is enlarged on the same terms and conditions.”
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