Outback Wrangler Matt Wright’s conspiracy trial delayed amid fight over 105,000 pages of phone records

A Territory reality television star accused of trying to ‘fix the books’ after his mate’s horrific chopper crash in a croc-filled swamp has had his high-profile Supreme Court trial put in jeopardy.

Outback Wrangler Matt Wright leaving the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory at Darwin on October 24, 2024, alongside his wife Kaia and his barrister David Edwardson. Picture: Zizi Averill

A reality television star accused of trying to “fix the books” after his mate’s horrific helicopter death in a croc-filled swamp has had his high-profile trial put in jeopardy.

Just 20 days out from Outback Wrangler Matt Wright’s anticipated Supreme Court start date, Justice Alan Blow was told there were serious concerns about the anticipated July 7 start date.

Mr Wright faces three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice in the wake of the helicopter crash that killed his friend and co-star Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson in February 2022.

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.

The helicopter carrying Chris 'Willow' Wilson crashed in remote west Arnhem Land in February, 2022.

It has been alleged that Mr Wright was not properly following the maintenance rules for his helicopters, and attempted to cover this up in the wake of the crash.

On Wednesday defence barrister Luke Officer said the conspiracy trial was based on three distinct allegations; that Mr Wright lied to police, he pressured a witness, and attempted to destroy evidence.

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.

Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson. The 34-year-old father-of-two was tragically killed in a helicopter crash in a remote part of West Arnhem Land last Monday while collecting crocodile eggs. Pictures - Supplied

Mr Officer said it was alleged that this was to “cover the tracks” that the helicopter involved in the fatal crash had exceeded its service hours.

However, Mr Officer said the ultimate cause of the crash would be a critical factor in the trial, pointing to an aviation report stating that the most likely cause was fuel exhaustion.

He said alleged trace amounts of cocaine in Mr Robinson’s system, “weird sleeping hours” and fatigue ultimately contributed to refuelling oversights on the day of the fateful flight.

“Mr Robinson in a large measure was at fault in some respects, be it refuelling or being under the influence of substances caused this crash,” Mr Officer alleged.

Barrister Luke Officer leaving the Supreme Court in Darwin. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

He said Mr Wright was still seeking to access 105,000 pages of phone downloads from Mr Robinson’s mother and business admin manager.

“To suggest that she is otherwise up to her eyeballs in this particular count is an understatement,” Mr Officer said.

Justice Blow was told that the prosecution expected to call 56 witnesses, a line-up Mr Officer said would be “inconceivable” to complete within four weeks.

Prosecutor James Moore blamed the defence for a “complete lack of engagement” in finalising the list of matters in dispute.

Justice Blow was told that a two month block set aside for the four-week matter may no longer be sufficient.

Mr Wright’s defence barrister Luke Officer said due to unforeseen circumstances, the July 7 start date would not be possible and Justice Blow agreed to push back the trial.

However prosecutor James Moore revealed that he had double booked himself — despite the high-profile celebrity trial locking in eight weeks in the court calendar — and was opposed to any changes to the start date.

“You took on a trial listed for July 7 with an estimated hearing time of eight week, but with the likelihood of shrinkage” Justice Blow said.

“You were punting on this trial finishing in four weeks.”

With just 40 days left until the new trial date, Justice Blow said: “I think the Director of Public Prosecution should investigate the possibility of other counsel”.

Mr Moore said the Director, Lloyd Babb, was not prepared to brief another prosecutor “given the nature of the brief and the cost expended thus far”.

“He might need to think about who’s the boss in all of this, whether it is the court or whether it’s the Director?” Justice Blow replied.

Justice Blow set the trial date to July 28, stating this would give “some unfortunate substitute counsel” extra time to go through the complex and substantive case.

Originally published as Outback Wrangler Matt Wright’s conspiracy trial delayed amid fight over 105,000 pages of phone records