Reality TV star Matt Wright has been found guilty of two counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice following a fatal helicopter crash in February 2022 that killed his co-star Chris 'Willow' Wilson and left pilot Sebastian Robinson a paraplegic. The verdict was delivered by a Supreme Court jury in Darwin on Friday after a four-week trial before acting justice Allan Blow.
Wright, star of the show 'Outback Wrangler', was accused of trying to cover up evidence related to the crash. The charges did not relate to the cause of the accident, and the prosecution did not allege Wright was responsible for the crash, Wilson's death, or Robinson's injuries. However, the jury failed to reach a verdict on a third count.
Wright faces up to 15 years in jail when sentenced on 6 October, but his legal team has indicated they will appeal the guilty verdicts. Outside court, Wright said the ordeal had been 'devastating for everyone involved' and that there were 'no winners' from the trial. He questioned why investigations had focused solely on him rather than the cause of the crash.
Wilson's widow, Dani, said Wright's actions had denied a complete investigation into the crash. She stated the verdicts were a step closer to justice and accountability, noting her two sons would soon spend a fourth Father's Day without their father. The Air Transport Safety Bureau concluded the helicopter ran out of fuel, causing the engine to shut down and the crash.
Prosecutors alleged Wright lied about the fuel amount, tried to get Robinson to falsify flying hours, and asked a friend to 'torch' the helicopter's maintenance release. Wright denied all charges. The defence focused blame on Robinson, portraying him as a cocaine-trafficking 'party animal' and alleging collusion among his family. Robinson's statement read outside court said the verdicts brought some closure but highlighted the 'huge and permanent' scars from Wright's conduct.
