An Australian celeb crocodile wrangler was discovered responsible Friday of mendacity to police and searching for to falsify flight information greater than three years after a deadly helicopter crash.
A jury convicted Matt Wright, star of the “Wild Croc Territory,” “Monster Croc Wrangler” and “Outback Wrangler” collection, of two counts of perverting the course of justice, court docket paperwork confirmed.
The month-long trial at Darwin Supreme Court docket adopted a 2022 helicopter crash within the Northern Territory outback that killed his pal and co-star Chris Wilson and left the pilot a paraplegic.
Wilson was dangling from the helicopter by a 100-foot line to gather crocodile eggs when it ran out of gas and crashed, an air crash investigation discovered.
Matt Wright (L), the star of Netflix present Wild Croc Territory and Nationwide Geographic’s Outback Wrangler, arrives together with his spouse Kaia Wright (R) on the Supreme Court docket in Darwin on August 12, 2025.
WILLIAM WEST/AFP through Getty Pictures
Investigators on the time discovered that the operator was not utilizing its security administration system to determine and handle operational hazards.
The Northern Territory lets hunters acquire wild crocodile eggs to assist handle populations, permitting them to be offered to farms that use the reptiles to make leather-based.
Wright was convicted of mendacity in a press release in regards to the plane’s gas degree, and of encouraging the injured pilot to falsify flight information.
The jury was unable to ship a verdict on a 3rd cost that he had instructed somebody to destroy plane upkeep information.
Appearing Justice Alan Blow launched Wright on bail forward of an enchantment, based on nationwide broadcaster ABC.
Talking exterior the court docket, Wright mentioned he was “pretty disappointed” by the decision, ABC reported.
“It’s been a long fight and we’ve got an appeal in process now, and we’ll keep moving forward with this,” he mentioned. “It’s been devastating for everyone involved.”
Wilson’s widow, Danielle Wilson, attended the proceedings on every day of the trial, ABC reported. Talking exterior court docket on Friday, she mentioned the day marked “an important moment in a long and painful journey,” the outlet reported.
Wright is to be sentenced at a later date.
Extra from CBS Information
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