14m agoMon 11 Aug 2025 at 6:09am<\/p>\n
Who is involved in this trial?<\/p>\n
As the jury has afternoon tea, let’s recap some of the key players involved in this trial:<\/p>\n
38m agoMon 11 Aug 2025 at 5:45am<\/p>\n
Afternoon tea<\/p>\n
The jury has now taken the afternoon break and will be back in about 20 minutes.<\/p>\n
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Today marks the start of the NT Supreme Court’s second week hearing Matt Wright’s trial. (ABC News: Dane Hirst)39m agoMon 11 Aug 2025 at 5:45amPilot’s paper work ‘very slack indeed’<\/p>\n
Egg collector\u00a0Jock Purcell<\/b>\u00a0has agreed, under cross-examination, that his friend, pilot Sebastian Robinson<\/b>, was “very slack indeed” when it came to recording his flight times.<\/p>\n
But he denied that Mr Robinson <\/b>ever paid him for help with his paperwork and says he only assisted him “out of friendship”.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Mr Purcell<\/b> said he had gone to Mr Robinson<\/b>‘s home in the days after the crash to collect his pilot log book before his wife gave it to one of Mr Robinson<\/b>‘s brothers.<\/p>\n “Seb<\/b> asked that morning if he could get his log book off me and I was away,” he said.<\/p>\n “Yes, they came and got it.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 1h agoMon 11 Aug 2025 at 5:03am<\/p>\n Egg collector cross-examined by the defence<\/p>\n CareFlight<\/b> nurse Matthew Auld<\/b> has been excused and defence barrister David Edwardson KC<\/b> is now cross-examining the previous witness,\u00a0pilot and egg collector\u00a0Jock Purcell<\/b>.<\/p>\n Mr Purcell<\/b> says he went on a different crocodile egg collecting mission with Sebastian Robinson<\/b> and another man the day before the crash.<\/p>\n He says they were supposed to leave in the morning but, after texting\u00a0Mr Robinson<\/b>, he replied: “I’ve been in bed and will be there at 3:30pm”.<\/p>\n As a result, they didn’t leave until that afternoon and came back sometime before dark.<\/p>\n Mr Purcell<\/b> says he didn’t see any pre-flight checks being done on Sebastian Robinson<\/b>‘s helicopter the next day, when it was refueling at Noonamah <\/b>ahead of the fateful mission.<\/p>\n But he said “I saw Mudcrab <\/b>do a fuel drain on his helicopter”.<\/p>\n “Testing for water, so there’s no water in the fuel tanks after you fill up,”\u00a0Mr Purcell\u00a0<\/b>said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The trial is continuing now.<\/p>\n The next witness is\u00a0CareFlight\u00a0<\/b>nurse\u00a0Matthew Auld<\/b>\u00a0who was part of the crew that attended the fatal crash in 2022.<\/p>\n Mr Auld<\/b> told the court he first confirmed Chris Wilson<\/b> was deceased before helping stabilise Sebastian Robinson<\/b>, and then stayed at the scene for about three hours to help repatriate Mr Wilson<\/b>‘s body.<\/p>\n The witness says he heard discussions between\u00a0Matt Wright\u00a0<\/b>and others present at the scene, about removing items from the helicopter.<\/p>\n “I heard [Mr Wright<\/b>] wonder what happened to the helicopter in terms of, he said something like ‘I wonder what the go is’,”\u00a0Mr Auld\u00a0<\/b>said.<\/p>\n “Some dual controls were removed from the helicopter as well as some other items such as fuel jerry cans.<\/p>\n “I know [the dual controls] were not installed, they were under a seat.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Inside a helicopter, dual controls allow both the pilot and a co-pilot to operate the aircraft.<\/p>\n 1h agoMon 11 Aug 2025 at 4:26am<\/p>\n What are Matt Wright’s charges about?<\/p>\n While we’re waiting for court to resume after lunch, let’s recap what this trial is about.<\/p>\n Matt Wright<\/b> is facing three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice over his alleged behaviour following the fatal 2022 chopper crash that claimed Chris “Willow” Wilson<\/b>‘s life.<\/p>\n Those three counts relate to allegations Mr Wright<\/b>:<\/p>\n None of the charges against Mr Wright <\/b>relate to the cause of the chopper crash and he has pleaded not guilty to all three counts.<\/p>\n 2h agoMon 11 Aug 2025 at 3:37am<\/p>\n Judge answers questions from the jury<\/p>\n Just before the lunch break, Acting Justice Alan Blow<\/b> took the opportunity to address three questions jurors had handed up to him in a note this morning.<\/p>\n Can we please see any photos of the refueling area at Mount Borradaile?<\/p>\n Can we also see any photos of the fuel tanks and fuel pipes of an R44 Raven II?<\/p>\n We’re seeking more clarity around the differing witness statements, if you believe it pertinent to this case.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n To answer the first two questions, Acting Justice Blow<\/b> said it would be “up to the lawyers in this case”.<\/p>\n “They decide what evidence to present to you,” he said.<\/p>\n “I’ve told them that you’ve asked, but there are all sorts of reasons for counsel to decide what evidence to present to you and what evidence not to present to you.<\/p>\n “So if such photos get presented to you, that’s fine, and if they don’t, there’s nothing I can do about it.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n In answering the third question, Acting Justice Blow<\/b> said while “different people have said different things”, “I certainly won’t be discussing the discrepancies now” and “nor should counsel, except perhaps in questioning witnesses”.<\/p>\n “At the end of the trial, when there are closing speeches from both counsel and a summing up from me, any of us might refer to particular discrepancies that we think are important,” he said.<\/p>\n “Then again, we might not refer to particular discrepancies, or we might refer to none.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Acting Justice Blow<\/b> said the jury would have access to a transcript of the evidence and it would be up to them to decide what’s important.<\/p>\n “At the end of the day, if counsel thinks something’s important or if I think something’s important, it’s up to you, you might think it’s unimportant and vice versa,” he said.<\/p>\n “So there might be discussion about discrepancies after all the evidence has been given, there might be questions asked about discrepancies.<\/p>\n “But you won’t get any more help with discrepancies, except through those sources, the questioning of witnesses and the closing speeches and summing up at the end of the trial.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The evidence is due to resume at 2pm ACST<\/b>.<\/p>\n 3h agoMon 11 Aug 2025 at 3:01am<\/p>\n Lunch break<\/p>\n After a few clarifying questions from Crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC<\/b>, pilot and egg collector Jock\u00a0Purcell<\/b> has been excused for now and we’re taking lunch.<\/p>\n Mr Purcell<\/b> will finish giving evidence after the break before\u00a0CareFlight<\/b> paramedic Matthew Auld<\/b>\u00a0is due to take the stand.<\/p>\n 3h agoMon 11 Aug 2025 at 2:44am<\/p>\n ‘The Hobbs meter was connected’<\/p>\n Helicopter pilot and crocodile egg collector Jock Purcell<\/b> says he looked under the dash of the crashed helicopter and “the Hobbs meter<\/b> was connected”.<\/p>\n Mr Purcell<\/b> says he saw someone approach the downed helicopter at the scene and lift the dash.<\/p>\n “I know someone lifted the dash of the crashed helicopter but I don’t recall who it was,” he said.<\/p>\n “I looked under the dash to see if I could see anything obvious to why the helicopter crashed.<\/p>\n “I can’t remember exactly what I said but I know the Hobbs meter<\/b> was connected.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC<\/b> suggested Mr Purcell<\/b> “knew that there was a practice among Matt Wright<\/b>‘s helicopters of the Hobbs meter<\/b> being disconnected”.<\/p>\n “And you wanted to see whether it was connected or not for when investigators turned up to look at the crashed helicopter?” he asked.<\/p>\n “I don’t believe so,” Mr Purcell <\/b>replied.<\/p>\n “Tell me one thing that you’re looking for in that area, with your experience as a pilot, that might have been able to tell you how the helicopter crashed?” Mr Gullaci<\/b> asked.<\/p>\n “I’m not an investigator so I don’t know,” Mr Purcell<\/b> replied.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 4h agoMon 11 Aug 2025 at 2:03am<\/p>\n Morning tea<\/p>\n The jury has taken the morning break.<\/p>\n We’ll be back with you with more in about half an hour.<\/p>\n 4h agoMon 11 Aug 2025 at 2:02amCourt played secret phone call: ‘Something had gone on with the Hobbs’<\/p>\n Jurors have been played a secretly recorded phone call between Matt Wright<\/b> and crocodile egg collector and helicopter pilot Jock Purcell<\/b>.<\/p>\n On it, Mr Wright<\/b> is allegedly heard to say several months after the crash “the Hobbs<\/b> had been touched”.<\/p>\n “Something had gone on with the Hobbs <\/b>there, I dunno, they’ve moved it forward or some f***in’ thing as well,” he says.<\/p>\n “Just going through a few motions there, just don’t know exactly what, and I’m just trying to think how much, or what Sebby<\/b>‘s tried to say to them if anything even.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n On the stand, Mr Purcell<\/b> says he can’t remember the call or whether it related to any investigation into the crash.<\/p>\n “It’s three years ago, I can’t remember, mate,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 4h agoMon 11 Aug 2025 at 1:42amChopper pilot ‘saw Matt Wright disconnect flight recorder’<\/p>\n Helicopter pilot and crocodile egg collector Jock Purcell <\/b>says he “regularly” flew multiple helicopters belonging to Matt Wright <\/b>while he worked for him, including the one that eventually crashed.<\/p>\n When Crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC<\/b> asked Mr Purcell<\/b> if he had ever failed to record flights in the helicopters’ maintenance release, he refused to answer.<\/p>\n After receiving a certificate under the Evidence Act from Justice Alan Blow<\/b>, Mr Gullaci<\/b> asked the question again and this time he answered “yes”.<\/p>\n “Was it more than 10 times?” Mr Gullaci<\/b> asked.<\/p>\n “Yes,” Mr Purcell<\/b> replied.<\/p>\n “Was it more than 30 times?”<\/p>\n “Yeah, I dunno.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Mr Purcell<\/b> initially said he couldn’t remember discussing that with Mr Wright <\/b>but later said he “probably” did “at some point”.<\/p>\n But he said he didn’t have conversations with Mr Wright<\/b> in the days or weeks after a flight about trying to “reconstruct” the records.<\/p>\n He also agreed there had been times when the helicopter’s Hobbs meter <\/b>flight recorder was disconnected “because it was getting close to service”.<\/p>\n “The 50-hour or 100-hour service was coming up,” he said.<\/p>\n “Did you yourself ever disconnect the Hobbs meter flying for Mr Wright<\/b>?” Mr Gullaci<\/b> asked.<\/p>\n “Yes,” Mr Purcell<\/b> replied.<\/p>\n “Did you ever see Mr Wright<\/b> disconnect the Hobbs meter<\/b> on one of his helicopters?”<\/p>\n “Yes, it happened, yeah.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 4h agoMon 11 Aug 2025 at 1:26am<\/p>\n Egg collectors arrive at the crash scene<\/p>\n Crocodile egg collector Jock Purcell<\/b>\u00a0says after the group lost contact with Sebastian Robinson<\/b> and Chris Wilson<\/b>, Michael Burbidge<\/b> then went to look for them.<\/p>\n When they then lost contact with Mr Burbidge<\/b>, Mr Purcell<\/b> says he and fellow egg collector Timothy Luck<\/b> joined Ty Richardson<\/b> in his helicopter to go look for him.<\/p>\n The trio landed at the scene of the crash and got out to assist until CareFlight <\/b>arrived before Matt Wright<\/b> arrived with Mick Burns<\/b> and Neil Mellon<\/b>.<\/p>\n He says when he looked around he\u00a0could see “an impact point where a [helicopter] blade had apparently hit a tree”.<\/p>\n But Mr Purcell<\/b> says he didn’t look in the downed helicopter’s fuel tank or see anyone else doing so.<\/p>\n He says he didn’t approach the crashed helicopter at all and doesn’t remember seeing anyone else approach it.<\/p>\n “I know headsets were removed,” he said.<\/p>\n 5h agoMon 11 Aug 2025 at 1:10amEgg collector Monday’s first witness<\/p>\n The first witness for today is helicopter pilot and crocodile egg collector\u00a0Jock Purcell<\/b>\u00a0who worked for Matt Wight<\/b> in both capacities for several years in the lead up to the fatal crash.<\/p>\n Mr Purcell<\/b> says he also worked as an airboat driver and tour guide in another of Mr Wright<\/b>‘s businesses.<\/p>\n He says he both collected eggs while slung underneath a helicopter and piloted helicopters while others were slung underneath to collect eggs.<\/p>\n On the day of the crash, Mr Purcell<\/b> says he was flying in Ty “Mudcrab” Richardon<\/b>‘s helicopter, which was the only helicopter he saw refueling at Noonamah <\/b>that morning.<\/p>\n “I remember Ty Richardson<\/b>\u00a0landing between the fuel drums and the road fence and pulling the fuel hose out to him and that was it,” he said.<\/p>\n 5h agoMon 11 Aug 2025 at 1:04amA recap of the trial so far<\/p>\n If you missed our coverage last week, here’s a quick summary to get you up to speed.<\/p>\n Matt Wright\u00a0<\/b>has pleaded\u00a0not guilty\u00a0<\/b>to all three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice.<\/p>\n The charges relate to his alleged behaviour following a fatal chopper crash, which killed co-star\u00a0Chris Wilson<\/b>\u00a0and seriously injured pilot\u00a0Sebastian Robinson.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n So far, the jury has heard from five witnesses:<\/p>\n Mick Burns<\/b>\u00a0said he was handed\u00a0Sebastian Robinson<\/b>‘s\u00a0phone at the crash site, and later gave it to Mr Robinson’s mother.<\/p>\n Neil Mellon\u00a0<\/b>said he gave\u00a0Chris Wilson<\/b>‘s phone to\u00a0Mick Burbidge,<\/b>\u00a0who told the court he disposed of it.<\/p>\n The jury was played a secret recording between\u00a0Mr Burbidge<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0Mr Wright<\/b>, in which\u00a0Mr Burbidge<\/b>\u00a0can be heard urging\u00a0Mr Wright\u00a0<\/b>to review the crashed helicopter’s log book.<\/p>\n Timothy Luck\u00a0<\/b>said he was “confident” he filled up\u00a0Mr Robinson<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0Mr Wilson<\/b>‘s\u00a0helicopter with fuel at\u00a0Mount Borradaile<\/b>\u00a0on the day of the crash.<\/p>\n Ty Richardson<\/b>\u00a0said he didn’t see anyone go into the cockpit of the downed helicopter, nor see it being refueled at\u00a0Mount\u00a0Borradaile.<\/b><\/p>\n 5h agoMon 11 Aug 2025 at 12:57am<\/p>\n Week two begins<\/p>\n Welcome back for the second week of evidence in Netflix star Matt Wright<\/b>‘s trial on three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice.<\/p>\n Mr Wright\u00a0<\/b>has pleaded not guilty to all charges.<\/p>\n ABC court reporter Jason Walls<\/b> with you again from the Supreme Court<\/b> in Darwin <\/b>with all our live coverage of the day.<\/p>\n Court is again in session with the next witness due to be called shortly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"14m agoMon 11 Aug 2025 at 6:09am Who is involved in this trial? As the jury has afternoon…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":136256,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[81997,4740,81995,81993,81998,75302,50,81994,81999,278,81996],"class_list":{"0":"post-136255","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"tag-attempting-to-pervert-the-course-of-justice","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-chris-wilson","11":"tag-crocodile-wrangler","12":"tag-jason-gullaci-sc","13":"tag-matt-wright","14":"tag-news","15":"tag-outback-wrangler","16":"tag-sebastian-robinson","17":"tag-supreme-court","18":"tag-willow"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115008704890604092","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136255","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=136255"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136255\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/136256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=136255"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=136255"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=136255"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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Solicitor Luke Officer and prominent South Australian barrister David Edwardson KC are representing the defence legal team in Matt Wright’s trial. (ABC News: Dane Hirst)1h agoMon 11 Aug 2025 at 4:50amDual controls ‘not installed’<\/p>\n\n
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The helicopter crashed in 2022 while on a crocodile-egg collection mission. (Supplied: Careflight)<\/p>\n\n
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Matt Wright and his wife Kaia, walking alongside his legal team. (ABC News: Marcus Kennedy)<\/p>\n\n
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<\/p>\n