In brief
Matt Wright, known for his roles in reality shows 'Outback Wrangler' and 'Wild Croc Territory,' was sentenced to five months in jail for tampering with evidence after a helicopter crash in 2022 that resulted in the death of his co-star and severe injuries to the pilot. The court heard evidence of Wright attempting to influence a hospitalised witness and lying to police about the crash's circumstances. He faces a potential appeal against the verdicts while the jury remains undecided on one of the charges.
Celebrity crocodile wrangler Matt Wright will spend five months in prison for tampering with evidence after a helicopter crash that killed his co-star and left the pilot a paraplegic.
In August, the former Netflix star was found guilty of lying to police and pressuring a hospitalised witness after the 2022 crash in the Northern Territory (NT).
On Friday, Acting Justice Alan Blow handed Wright a 10-month prison term, which will be suspended after he has served half of it. He was also fined A$5,000 ($3,300; £2,500).
Justice Blow said Wright had shown no remorse but was very unlikely to reoffend in any significant way in the future. The maximum sentence for his charges was 15 years in prison. The jury could not agree on a verdict for a third charge that alleged Wright asked someone to torch evidence.
Wright's lawyers indicated previously that they planned to appeal the guilty verdicts.
The case centered around a helicopter crash in February 2022 in Arnhem Land, about 500km (310 miles) east of Darwin. Wright's friend and co-star Chris Willow Wilson was killed after being suspended from the chopper during a crocodile egg harvesting trip. The pilot, Sebastian Robinson, suffered severe injuries, including punctured lungs and a major brain injury.
Prosecutors presented evidence that included recordings of conversations in which Wright allegedly lied to police about fuel levels in the helicopter's tank. He was also accused of visiting Mr. Robinson in the hospital and asking him to falsify flight records.
The trial revealed a culture of falsifying flight records within the NT's helicopter community, with Wright cited as being concerned that this practice might be blamed for the crash.
Wright is a well-known figure globally, having starred in National Geographic's Outback Wrangler and Netflix's Wild Croc Territory. His status as a tourism ambassador for Australia, alongside his contributions to the community, were referenced in court during sentencing as mitigating factors, though they did not absolve him of wrongdoing.
