Netflix star Matt Wright’s appeal window closes as no valid appeals lodged to guilty verdicts or jail sentence

Reality television star Matt Wright’s window to appeal his guilty verdicts and sentence has effectively lapsed, with the courts confirming the standard 28-day appeal period has expired and no extension or special leave has been granted — despite Wright vowing outside court on his birthday that an appeal was “in process”.

In August, the Outback Wrangler host was found guilty on two counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice, after prosecutors alleged he tried to obstruct investigations into the 2022 helicopter crash that killed his Netflix co-star Chris Wilson and left pilot Sebastian Robinson a paraplegic.

But more than five months after the guilty verdicts — and almost two months after Wright was jailed — authorities say there are no valid appeals on foot.

Wright had faced three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice during his month-long Northern Territory Supreme Court trial, which commenced in July 2025. On August 29, the jury returned guilty verdicts on counts one and two but could not reach a unanimous decision on count three.

After the verdicts were delivered — on what happened to be Wright’s 46th birthday — he vowed outside court to appeal the jury’s decisions.

However, the NT Director of Public Prosecutions told The Nightly this week that “no competent appeal has yet been filed”.

“A decision in relation to whether Mr Wright will be re-tried on count three will be made either after the prospective appeal proceedings have concluded or alternatively, if and when Mr Wright confirms that he will not be pursuing an appeal,” a spokesperson said.

The NT Supreme Court has separately confirmed that while an out-of-time appeal remains technically possible, it would require leave of the court — which Wright has not been granted.

The time limit for appealing verdicts and sentences in the NT is 28 days. Defendants may only appeal outside that period with leave of the court, which a court spokesperson confirmed Wright has not received.

On Monday, Wright’s representatives declined to comment on whether their client intended to apply for leave to pursue an out-of-time appeal.

The Netflix star was sentenced on December 12 to 10 months’ imprisonment, suspended after five months.

His convictions relate to his conduct in the days and weeks following the fatal helicopter crash, which occurred during a crocodile egg-collecting mission in remote West Arnhem Land.

Wilson, 34, was killed when the helicopter he was slinging beneath crashed into a paperbark swamp at King River. Robinson was flying the destroyed aircraft, registered VH-IDW, which was owned by Wright.

During sentencing, Acting Justice Alan Blow said the evidence established the helicopter crashed “because the engine stopped.”

“There was an issue at the trial as to whether the helicopter had in fact run out of fuel. It was an issue that the jury did not need to decide,” he said.

“For sentencing purposes, I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that it did not run out of fuel. One witness, Mr (Tim) Luck, gave clear and unshaken evidence that he refuelled the helicopter at Mount Borradaile shortly before the crash.”

Justice Blow referenced a photograph, taken inside the helicopter about halfway between its take-off at Noonamah to Mount Borradaile, showing fuel gauges indicating the two fuel tanks were then about three quarters full.

“In my view, that is inconsistent with both tanks becoming empty when it crashed a little later, not far beyond Mount Borradaile,” he said.

“If it was about to run out of fuel, a warning light would have come on … when there was about 18 minutes of fuel left in the tank.

“It is inherently improbable that both Mr Robinson and Mr Wilson would have not noticed that light come on.”

The trial heard Robinson released Wilson’s sling from beneath the helicopter when its engine stopped, to prevent “rag-dolling” him through trees — estimated to be about 18 metres tall — or the aircraft falling on top of him.

Wilson left behind his wife Danielle and their two young sons. Robinson suffered catastrophic injuries and is now paraplegic.

The crown case was that Wright attempted to obstruct investigations into the crash, including by lying to police about how much fuel he saw in the destroyed aircraft and by pressuring Robinson — while critically injured — to falsify flight records from his hospital bed.

On count one, Wright was convicted of lying to police during an interview and statutory declaration conducted three days after the crash. Justice Blow said the jury verdict indicated it was satisfied Wright had been dishonest and intended to deflect police from bringing charges.

“The result of all this is that, in my view, although your answers to the police about the state of the fuel were dishonest, they were consistent with the truth,” Justice Blow said.

“I believe that the true situation was that there was fuel in the tank when the helicopter’s engine stopped.”

Justice Blow described count two as “a much more serious charge”, involving planning and the exploitation of Robinson while he was gravely injured.

The court found Wright attempted to get Robinson to falsify records to show flights were undertaken by a different helicopter, VH-ZXZ, rather than VH-IDW. Justice Blow found beyond reasonable doubt that Wright asked an associate, Tim Johnston, to obtain Robinson’s diary and phone, and that Wright personally pressed Robinson to manipulate flight records during hospital visits.

“It involved planning,” Justice Blow said.

“It’s significant that you had the callousness to make and pursue this request when Mr Robinson had recently come out of a coma and had just learned that he was unlikely ever to walk again. It was the worst possible time to put any pressure on him. He was heavily medicated and very vulnerable.”

The third count, on which the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict, relates to allegations that Wright attempted to have the helicopter’s maintenance release document destroyed, to prevent it being provided to crash investigators, after authorities demanded it be surrendered. That charge remains unresolved and under consideration by the DPP.

The maximum penalty for each offence was 15 years’ imprisonment. Justice Blow ultimately fined Wright $5000 on count one and imposed a 10-month custodial sentence, suspended after five months, on count two.

Immediately after the verdicts, Wright’s barrister David Edwardson KC told the court his client would appeal.

“I can assure your Honour that there will be an appeal, certainly in relation to count two, if not count one as well,” he told Justice Blow.

Outside court, Wright said he was “pretty disappointed” with the verdicts.

“It’s been a long fight and we’ve got an appeal in process now,” he said.

“We’ll keep moving forward with this.”

Wright is due for release from the Darwin Correctional Centre on May 12.