Outback Wrangler Matt Wright’s conspiracy trial dates locked in
Outback Wrangler Matt Wright’s trial has finally been locked in, with the prosecution telling the court it will call several witnesses.
Northern Territory
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The much anticipated trial for Territory reality TV star Matt Wright has finally been locked-in during a pre-trial hearing at Darwin Supreme Court on Tuesday.
The famous Outback Wrangler faces three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice following a helicopter crash in February 2022 that killed his friend and co-star Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson.
The trial is set to begin with the selection of the jury on July 30.
Mr Wilson was dangling from the chopper in a crocodile egg collecting mission over the King River in Arnhem Land, when the helicopter crashed into the paperbark swamp, killing the 34-year-old father and critically injuring his 28-year-old pilot, Sebastian Robinson.
It has been alleged Mr Wright was not properly following the maintenance rules for his helicopters, and attempted to cover this up in the wake of the crash.
Mr Wright has strenuously denied all wrongdoing, and it is understood he will plead not guilty.
The trial’s start date has faced many delays, most recently in mid-June when Justice Alan Blow accepted Mr Wright’s defence barrister Luke Officer’s request to push the July 7 start-date back to July 28, resulting in the departure of Crown prosecutor James Moore from the case due to a double booking.
On Tuesday the court heard neither defence nor prosecution were prepared for that date.
“Both of us agree that we are simply not ready to start on Monday,” defence barrister David Edwardson KC said.
Crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC endorsed the delay, leading Justice Blow to set a new start date for Wednesday, July 30.
The court heard there would be a pre-trial hearing on Monday then the jury will be empanelled (selected) on Wednesday with opening arguments beginning on Thursday.
Mr Gullaci told the court it would call on star witness Mr Robinson who was also seriously injured in the crash and allegedly involved in the cover-up.
“I think it is likely there will be at least one or two witnesses that will, to use the phrase ‘set the scene’, before we call upon [Mr Robinson],” he said.
It was alleged that Mr Wright directed Mr Robinson to delete messages from his phone and doctor flight documentation while the young man was still recovering in his Brisbane hospital bed.
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