Outback Wrangler Matt Wright pleads not guilty to perverting justice after Chris Wilson's fatal chopper crash
Outback Wrangler host Matt Wright has formally entered his pleas to three charges in the Northern Territory Supreme Court.
The celebrity croc-wrangler arrived at the Darwin Supreme Court building this morning to be arraigned ahead of his high-profile criminal trial.
The reality television star and former Tourism Australia ambassador is facing three counts of perverting the course of justice related to his alleged actions after a fatal chopper crash.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Mr Wright owned – but was not flying – a Robinson R44, registered VH-IDW, which crashed during a crocodile egg collecting mission at West Arnhem Land in February 2022.
The accident, which occurred at King River, killed his Netflix co-star Chris Wilson and left pilot Sebastian Robinson paraplegic.
Wilson’s widow Danielle is also at court.
Mr Wright arrived shortly before 10am flanked by his wife Kaia and legal team.
Adelaide silk David Edwardson KC, with his instructing solicitor Luke Officer, are representing Mr Wright.
Mr Wright’s indictment, obtained by The Nightly, reveals that all three alleged offences occurred between March 3 and September 25 in 2022.
Count one is alleged to have occurred on March 3 of that year in Darwin.
Count 2 is alleged to have occurred between March 3 and March 13 in Darwin and elsewhere.
Count 3 is alleged to have occurred between September 21 and September 25 in Darwin and elsewhere.
Under section 109 of the NT Criminal Code, any person who attempts to obstruct, prevent, pervert or defeat the course of justice is guilty of an offence and is liable to imprisonment for 15 years.
Acting Justice Alan Blow, from Tasmania, is presiding over the proceeding.
Melbourne barrister, Jason Gullaci SC, is prosecuting the case on behalf of the NT’s Director of Public Prosecutions.
There are no judge-alone trials in the NT Supreme Court and 300 ordinary citizens have been summoned to attend court on Wednesday where 12 (plus a number of ‘spare’ jurors) will be selected to serve.
Jury empanelment is expected to take a full day with opening statements likely to be delivered on Thursday.
Dozens of witnesses, including Mr Robinson and crocodile egg collectors who were on the fateful mission, will begin giving evidence later this week.
