Matt Wright, an Australian personality, has been sentenced to five months in prison for evidence tampering following a 2022 helicopter crash that resulted in the death of his co-star and left the pilot severely injured. The sentencing concludes a trial where Wright was found guilty of making false statements to police and pressuring a hospitalized witness.
Conviction and Sentence
On Friday, Acting Justice Alan Blow imposed a 10-month prison sentence on Wright, with five months to be served and the remainder suspended. Wright also received a fine of A$5,000 (approximately US$3,300 or £2,500). Justice Blow noted Wright's lack of remorse but stated he was unlikely to reoffend significantly. The maximum penalty for these charges is 15 years in prison. Wright's legal team has announced their intent to appeal the verdicts. Mitigating factors considered during sentencing included Wright's community contributions and character references.
Charges and Evidence
In August, Wright was found guilty of two charges: providing false information to police and attempting to influence a hospitalized witness. Prosecutors alleged that Wright supplied inaccurate statements to police regarding the fuel levels of the helicopter at the time of the crash. Secret recordings of Wright's conversations were presented as evidence, which prosecutors contended contradicted his statements to police that the fuel tank was half full.
Additionally, Wright was accused of visiting the injured pilot, Sebastian Robinson, in the hospital, where doctors had informed him he might not regain the ability to walk. During these visits, Wright allegedly pressured Robinson to modify flight records, specifically concerning the hours the aircraft had flown. The prosecution argued this was an attempt by Wright to conceal an alleged practice of regularly altering official flying hours to avoid expensive maintenance requirements. The jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts for both charges.
A third charge, alleging Wright asked an individual to "torch" maintenance records, resulted in a deadlocked jury and remains under consideration by the courts. The legal proceedings did not address the direct cause of the crash, the death of Mr. Wilson, or Mr. Robinson's injuries.
The 2022 Helicopter Crash
The case originated from a helicopter crash that occurred in February 2022 in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, approximately 500km (310 miles) east of Darwin. Chris "Willow" Wilson, Wright's friend and co-star on the show "Outback Wrangler," died after falling 25 meters from a sling attached to the helicopter during a crocodile egg harvesting trip. The pilot, Sebastian Robinson, sustained severe injuries, including punctured lungs and a brain injury, which led to paraplegia. Wright was not on board the helicopter but was among the initial individuals to arrive at the crash site.
Trial Revelations and Industry Practices
The trial revealed details about practices within the Northern Territory's helicopter community. Evidence was presented suggesting it was common practice to "pop the clock"—disconnecting a meter that records flight hours—to postpone maintenance requirements. The prosecution contended that widespread falsification of flight records existed across the industry and that Wright feared his involvement in this practice would be blamed for the crash. Wright's defense acknowledged that under-reporting of flight hours was common in the Northern Territory's helicopter community but argued that Wright had not perverted the course of justice by attempting to cover up the doctored records.
Pilot Testimony
During cross-examination, pilot Sebastian Robinson testified to having no memory of the crash. He conceded that he "must have intentionally disconnected" Mr. Wilson's sling, noting it as best practice in an emergency. The court also heard that a blood sample from Mr. Robinson showed traces of cocaine, though below the "prescribed amount for enforcement" under aviation regulations. Mr. Robinson denied being a "raging cocaine junkie," a description reportedly used by another pilot.