Matt Wright takes seat in dock for first time as mammoth trial pencilled in for July 2025

Matt Wright’s Perth-based defence team told the court they believed ‘certain concessions’ could be made which would substantially cut down on the trial’s 125 proposed witnesses.

Matt Wright took his seat in the Supreme Court dock for the first time on Wednesday as his eight-week trial for allegedly attempting to pervert the course of justice was pencilled in for July.

Mr Wright was charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice in the aftermath of a helicopter crash that killed his friend and co-star Chris “Willow” Wilson in 2022.

Mr Wilson had been engaged in a crocodile egg collecting mission during which he was tethered beneath the chopper piloted by Sebastian Robinson when it crashed over the King River in Arnhem Land.

Crown prosecutor Steve Ledek told Chief Justice Michael Grant he expected to call up to 125 witnesses but that list could be whittled down to as few as 40, likely cutting the two months set down for the trial in half.

Mr Wright’s Perth-based barrister Frank Marenda told the court via video link he and co-counsel David Edwardson KC believed “certain concessions” could be made which would dispense with the need for many of the proposed witnesses.

“The real gist of the length of the trial seems to be by reference to a large amount of civilian evidence concerning tendency of Mr Wright to engage, on the Crown’s case, in practices that were not sound practices relating to the maintenance of helicopters,” he said.

Matt Wright leaves the Supreme Court with wife Kaia on Wednesday after his trial for allegedly attempting to pervert the course of justice was pencilled in for July 2025. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“It’s likely that we’ll reach a point where that evidence can be dealt with effectively by admissions.

“We’d be quite confident that the matter could be safely dealt with in the vicinity of three to four weeks.”

Mr Ledek said the Crown would be “prepared for the 7th of July” but a number of other charges that had previously remained in the Local Court would “need to be elevated and added to the indictment”.

“The way this has proceeded wasn’t in anticipation of this particular outcome, your honour, so what went up originally was the single charge as presently exists on the indictment,” he said.

“So we need to add those because they relate to specific identifiable acts or criminal conduct that are actually described beyond the pervert the course of justice charge, so they’re discretely made out.”

The Netflix star’s lawyers say ‘certain concessions’ could be made relating to tendency evidence. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

In adjourning the case for another pre-trial hearing on October 25, Chief Justice Grant said if no agreement could be reached on the tendency evidence it would have to be hashed out over about a week in early 2025.

Chief Justice Grant also extended Mr Wright’s bail and excused him from attending further mentions.

“It’s a matter for you Mr Wright, if you want to come along you can but if your lawyers are going to turn up you don’t have to come along to these pre-trial hearings,” he said.

“Thank you,” Mr Wright replied.

As he left court with his wife Kaia and two young children he said: “No questions today, I just want to be left alone with my family, thanks.”