Outback Wrangler: Michael Burbidge destroyed Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson’s phone to protect his wife

The court heard former cop Neil Mellon removed Mr Wilson’s phone from his pocket and handed it to Michael Burbidge who said ‘Danni does not need to see what’s on that phone’. Find out what happened in court.

Michael Burbidge jettisoned Netflix star Chris “Willow” Wilson’s phone as he flew away from the site of the crash that killed him so his wife would not see its contents, a court has heard.

The Remote Helicopters Australia owner was convicted and fined $15,000 in the Darwin Local Court on Friday after pleading guilty to destroying evidence from the fatal crash.

The court heard Burbidge was the first to arrive at the scene and provided first aid to injured pilot Sebastian Robinson after he lost radio contact with the crew on February 28, 2022.

After sounding the alarm, Burbidge returned to provide further first aid to Mr Robinson, using the pilot’s seatbelt to tie his legs together, cushioning his head with a mailbag and using the aircraft’s doors to prop him out of the water.

“The defendant placed a tarp over the deceased to stop him from being exposed to the elements and to prevent the younger team members from having to see him in the condition he was in when they arrived,” a statement of facts reads.

Later that morning businessman Mick Burns, former police officer Neil Mellon and Mr Wilson’s co-star Matt Wright – who was in court to support him on Friday – also arrived at the scene.

Remote Helicopters Australia owner Michael Burbidge leaves the Darwin Local Court in March after being convicted of destroying evidence. Picture: Jason Walls

It was then Mellon – who has also previously pleaded guilty to destroying evidence – removed Mr Wilson’s phone from his pocket and handed it to Burbidge who said “Danni (Wilson) does not need to see what’s on that phone”.

The facts state Burbidge then flew back to Darwin to inform Ms Wilson of her husband’s death, disposing of the phone on the way.

On Friday, prosecutor Steve Ledek told the court Burbidge “knew the phone could have held the answers to why his best friend was deceased and would have been a significant item of interest to anyone investigating the crash”.

“The offender spoke to the deceased’s family knowing he had destroyed something that more than likely contained evidence relevant to how he died,” he said.

Mr Ledek said there was no evidence “as to any data being on that phone that may have caused damage to the reputations” of either Mr or Ms Wilson.

“(But) as the phone will never be recovered, the release of that information without foundation is arguably just as damaging as the destruction of the evidence itself,” he said.

Matt Wright arrives at the Darwin Local Court with other supporters ahead of a sentencing hearing for Remote Helicopters Australia owner Michael Burbidge who pleaded guilty to destroying evidence. Picture: Jason Walls

Matt Wright arrives at the Darwin Local Court on March 8, 2023. Picture: Jason Walls

“Inadvertently, as a by-product, that motivation that has been declared and put forward has now opened the door on a whole stream of conjecture that has now had the actual opposite effect of any purported desire to protect that family.”

Defence lawyer Matthew Johnston said Burbidge’s actions were “an error of judgment that occurred in a very long, stressful and emotionally taxing day”.

“During the course of that day he performed some very difficult, if not traumatic, actions of having to deal with the crash, having to render first aid to Mr Robinson, of having to ensure that the body of Mr Wilson was protected before search and rescue arrived,” he said.

“He was there for a number of hours on his own before ultimately, this particular conduct occurred at the end of the day in circumstances where the body of Mr Wilson was being placed in a body bag.

“It was at that time, with very little opportunity for reflection, that the conversation arose from the parties and a decision was made to destroy the phone and shortly after, it was done.”

In handing down the fine, judge Tanya Fong Lim said she accepted Burbidge was “truly sorry” and had “suffered both personally and financially” for his “misguided loyalty”.

But she said putting him on a good behaviour bond “would be sending a very wrong message to other people”.

“It does go to the heart of the justice system and must be discouraged,” she said.

Wright is due to face trial in the Supreme Court on a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice later this year.