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Outback Wrangler star asked paralysed pilot in hospital to change flight records and erase items on phone, court hears Outback Wrangler star asked paralysed pilot in hospital to change flight records and erase items on phone, court hears
(about 5 hours later)
Reality TV star Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty to three charges of attempting to pervert the course of justiceReality TV star Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty to three charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice
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Reality TV star Matt Wright visited a pilot while he was heavily sedated in hospital after a deadly helicopter crash and asked him to manipulate flying hour records, a court has been told.Reality TV star Matt Wright visited a pilot while he was heavily sedated in hospital after a deadly helicopter crash and asked him to manipulate flying hour records, a court has been told.
Outback Wrangler co-star Chris “Willow” Wilson died in the February 2022 accident, falling to the ground from a sling beneath the chopper while collecting crocodile eggs in remote swampland in the Northern Territory.Outback Wrangler co-star Chris “Willow” Wilson died in the February 2022 accident, falling to the ground from a sling beneath the chopper while collecting crocodile eggs in remote swampland in the Northern Territory.
The aircraft then crashed, seriously injuring the pilot Sebastian Robinson. Now a paraplegic, Robinson gave evidence at the supreme court in Darwin by video link from his wheelchair on Wednesday.The aircraft then crashed, seriously injuring the pilot Sebastian Robinson. Now a paraplegic, Robinson gave evidence at the supreme court in Darwin by video link from his wheelchair on Wednesday.
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Wright has pleaded not guilty to three charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice.Wright has pleaded not guilty to three charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Prosecutors allege he was worried crash investigators would discover that flight-time meters were disconnected regularly to extend flying hours beyond official thresholds and that paperwork was falsified. Prosecutors allege Wright was worried crash investigators would discover that flight-time meters were disconnected regularly to extend flying hours beyond official thresholds and that paperwork was falsified.
Robinson told the court Wright visited him in Royal Brisbane hospital 10 days after the crash when he was still in very bad shape, heavily sedated with “tubes coming out of me everywhere”.Robinson told the court Wright visited him in Royal Brisbane hospital 10 days after the crash when he was still in very bad shape, heavily sedated with “tubes coming out of me everywhere”.
The crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC asked the 32-year-old what Wright had asked of him at his hospital bedside and he replied “to manipulate hours on my aircraft”.The crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC asked the 32-year-old what Wright had asked of him at his hospital bedside and he replied “to manipulate hours on my aircraft”.
“He asked if I would consider putting any of his hours, from his helicopter, on to my helicopter.”“He asked if I would consider putting any of his hours, from his helicopter, on to my helicopter.”
The court was told Robinson was being asked to put egg-collecting hours flown on Wright’s crashed helicopter on to his own helicopter, which was not fitted with equipment for egg collecting.The court was told Robinson was being asked to put egg-collecting hours flown on Wright’s crashed helicopter on to his own helicopter, which was not fitted with equipment for egg collecting.
Robinson said he told Wright he would think about his request and when he made a return visit the next day told him “I didn’t feel comfortable doing it”.Robinson said he told Wright he would think about his request and when he made a return visit the next day told him “I didn’t feel comfortable doing it”.
Wright had also asked to go through his phone and “delete a few things”, Robinson said.Wright had also asked to go through his phone and “delete a few things”, Robinson said.
At the time he was “scared and panicked” and did not know who to trust, he said.At the time he was “scared and panicked” and did not know who to trust, he said.
Under questioning from senior defence counsel for Wright, David Edwardson KC, Robinson admitted he had lied to Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigators around the same time.
Among the lies were that before the crash the helicopter was functioning well and he was busy with the role of maintenance controller at Wright’s Helibrook company when in fact he held the position in name only.
Robinson admitted saying there had only been a spark plug issue with the helicopter when “there were many more problems with the aircraft”.
He said his condition hindered his proper judgment at the time.
“I was in a very bad way.”
The 32-year-old told the jury on Tuesday he had fractures of his vertebrae, resulting in a complete severance of his spinal cord, rendering him a paraplegic.
Both his lungs were punctured, his left elbow and ankles were fractured and he suffered a traumatic brain injury that still causes him cognition problems and mood swings.
Edwardson has previously alleged in the lead-up to the crash Mr Robinson was a cocaine-using “party animal” who was “hopeless” at flight record keeping.
The crash and his life-changing injuries had been “the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with in my life”.The crash and his life-changing injuries had been “the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with in my life”.
The court was told Robinson was asked to fly egg-collecting missions in Arnhem Land, where Covid restrictions were in place, because Wright was an anti-vaxxer so could not enter the Indigenous territory unvaccinated. The court was told Robinson had been asked to fly Chris Wilson on the Covid-era egg-collecting missions in Arnhem Land because Wright was an anti-vaxxer and could not enter the Indigenous territory unvaccinated.
Jurors heard that Wright visited Robinson in hospital despite requirements to show a Covid vaccination certificate and having to complete a test for the virus.Jurors heard that Wright visited Robinson in hospital despite requirements to show a Covid vaccination certificate and having to complete a test for the virus.
The charges against Wright do not relate to the cause of the accident and the prosecution does not allege he is responsible for either the crash, Wilson’s death or Robinson’s injuries.The charges against Wright do not relate to the cause of the accident and the prosecution does not allege he is responsible for either the crash, Wilson’s death or Robinson’s injuries.
The trial continues.The trial continues.