Three years after a tragic helicopter crash that killed his friend, Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright will face trial on charges related to the accident investigation.
Following a pre-trial hearing today, Chief Justice Michael Grant set an eight-week trial date beginning on July 7, 2025.
The Netflix television series celebrity pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice following the crash that killed co-star Chris “Willow” Wilson in 2022.
The single charge relates to alleged behaviour in the aftermath of the crash in West Arnhem Land, where pilot Sebastian Robinson was also seriously injured.
In the NT Supreme Court in Darwin, senior crown prosecutor Steve Ledek said charges currently before the Darwin Local Court would also be added to the indictment and explored at trial.
“That’s a process that won’t take much time,” he told the court.
“We’ve already incorporated materials to provide (Wright’s lawyers) … we need to add those because they relate to specific, identifiable acts or criminal conduct.”
Ledek also said a surveillance device held by the prosecution has now been provided to the defence.
It is expected the prosecution will call 125 witnesses.
Wright’s barrister Frank Merenda explained a subpoena issued to NT Police Commissioner Micheal Murphy and NT Police needed to be reissued following several mistakes in the legal requirements of that document.
Justice Grant said there were several issues with the subpoena including it didn’t comply with practices of the court.
“The first was that it … was not in accordance with the practice of this court that’s been in place for 21 years,” he said.
“(The) second problem was it was faulty, in any event, on its face, because it had the date of production as the date it was filed.”
Wright turned his head from side to side as he followed the heated exchange between the bench and Justice Grant.
Wright’s counsel said the subpoena would be refiled in accordance with the court.
The matter is scheduled for pre-trial hearing on October 25.
