1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,719 Speaker 1: Now. The Supreme Court trial of kroc wrangler Matt Wright 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: continues today, with more witnesses expected to take the stand. 3 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:09,720 Speaker 1: Matt Cunningham from Sky News has been closely following the 4 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:11,559 Speaker 1: trial and joins me on the line. 5 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 2: Good morning, Matt, Good morning Cadie. 6 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: Matt. Firstly, can you give us a bit of a 7 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,120 Speaker 1: recap of what happened in court yesterday. 8 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,320 Speaker 2: Well, most of the evidence we heard yesterday came from 9 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 2: Jock Purcell. He's someone who worked for Matt Wright for 10 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 2: more than six years as a crocodile leg collector and 11 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 2: as a pilot, and he was one of the people 12 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:33,519 Speaker 2: who was on that mission on the twenty eighth of 13 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 2: February twenty twenty two when that helicopter crash killing Chris 14 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 2: Willow Wilson. So he was actually flying a different helicopter, 15 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:47,159 Speaker 2: but he did arrive at the scene after that helicopter crash, 16 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,519 Speaker 2: so he gave evidence about what happened at the scene. 17 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 2: He was asked by the prosecution about whether he had 18 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 2: looked into the cockpit under the dash in the cockpit, 19 00:00:57,240 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 2: and he said that he had, and that he looked 20 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 2: in there to check if the Hobbes meter was connected 21 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 2: of course, we've heard a lot of evidence throughout the 22 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:08,959 Speaker 2: trial so far about this Hobbs meta, which records the 23 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:13,039 Speaker 2: flying hours of the helicopter, and the practice a widespread 24 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:16,399 Speaker 2: practice we've been told throughout the anti aviation industry of 25 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 2: that Hobbes meat have been disconnected at times so that 26 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 2: helicopters didn't have to go through expensive servicing and maintenance requirements. 27 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 2: So Joppasel also told the court that, you know, he 28 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 2: had engaged in and knew about the practice of disconnecting 29 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 2: and reconnecting this Hobbes met and of basically not recording 30 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:40,560 Speaker 2: flying hours in what's known as the maintenance release of 31 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:44,960 Speaker 2: the helicopter. So, just to recap the prosecution's cases, basically 32 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 2: that Matt Wright knew that the helicopter hadn't been properly 33 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 2: maintained and then set about covering up those tracks. It's 34 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 2: not about the crash itself or even about you know, 35 00:01:56,440 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 2: some of those practices relating to not properly recording the hours. 36 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 2: The charges against Matt Wright related to his actions after 37 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:10,639 Speaker 2: the helicopter crash in allegedly trying to stop investigators finding 38 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:14,640 Speaker 2: out exactly what happened. In relation to those issues, we 39 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 2: also heard in the afternoon under cross examination, he was 40 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 2: asked quite a bit about Sebastian Robinson, who is of 41 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 2: course the pilot who was flying the helicopter that day 42 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 2: and who suffered serious injuries in that crash is now 43 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 2: a paraplegic, and about his lifestyle. So he heard a 44 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 2: bit about the day before the crash, and he was 45 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 2: asked by David Edwardson about a crocodile egg collection collecting 46 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:44,240 Speaker 2: mission that was supposed to take place the day before 47 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 2: the crash, on the twenty seventh of February, and according 48 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 2: to joh Percell's evidence, they were meant to leave in 49 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:52,079 Speaker 2: the morning, but they didn't end up leaving until about 50 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 2: three point thirty that afternoon because Sebastin Robinson had been 51 00:02:56,040 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 2: in bed. He was then asked by David Edwardson, who 52 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 2: is Matt Wright's lawyer. He was asked about whether Sebastian 53 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:07,800 Speaker 2: Robinson had a bit of a reputation as a party animal, 54 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 2: and he agreed that he did. And then he was 55 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 2: asked directly whether he was a frequent user of cocaine, 56 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 2: and Jock Purcell said yes, he did know that, although 57 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 2: when he was asked by the prosecution. He said that 58 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 2: there was only one occasion where he had seen Sebastian 59 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:28,359 Speaker 2: Robinson actually using cocaine. So you know, that's sort of 60 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 2: a summary of his evidence from day went for most 61 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 2: of the days, obviously more different pieces that were explored. 62 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 2: Probably the other interesting bit that was covered yesterday was 63 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 2: about Jock Purcell going to Sebastian Robinson's home in the 64 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 2: days after the crash and collecting his log book. So 65 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 2: he went to the cottage where Sebastian Robinson lives in 66 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 2: lived in in Nucky Lagoon and collected his log book 67 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 2: from his home there. He was asked why he did that, 68 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 2: and he said that he didn't know. And he was 69 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 2: asked whether anyone had asked him to do that, and 70 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 2: he also said he didn't know, and then he said 71 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 2: the log book had later been collected from Jock Purcell's 72 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:17,599 Speaker 2: home by Sebastian Robinson's brothers. Now, interestingly, today we're going 73 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 2: to hear if we should we were expecting to hear 74 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 2: from Sebastian Robinson himself. Katie thought it might be an 75 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 2: interesting of evidence in the screen court. 76 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 1: I reckon it certainly will be. Matt there did seem 77 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:30,839 Speaker 1: to be a bit of chopping and changing of witnesses yesterday. 78 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 1: What was the guy there? 79 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:36,479 Speaker 2: I look, it was just the fact that I think 80 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:38,839 Speaker 2: more of a timing matter than anything. So Jock Purcell 81 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:41,719 Speaker 2: gave his mostly of his evidence in chief in the 82 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 2: morning up until the lunch break, and then immediately after 83 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 2: the lunch break we heard from Matthew Walls, who was 84 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 2: the care flight employee. He was out of the scene 85 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 2: of the crash. And then after we'd heard his evidence, 86 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 2: we came back to Jock for herself that he's cross 87 00:04:58,560 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 2: examination by Matt Rivesley. 88 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, right, and so obviously Sebastian Robinson up today. Do 89 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:07,160 Speaker 1: we have much of an idea who else may be 90 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:10,480 Speaker 1: expected to be heard from today or throughout this week. 91 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:14,040 Speaker 2: Look, I think most of the evidence, most of today 92 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:17,160 Speaker 2: will likely be taken up with Sebastian Robinson. I mean 93 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:19,360 Speaker 2: he's going to be a key witness in his trial. Obviously. 94 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 2: The second so Matt Wright's facing those three charges of 95 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 2: attempting to put the course of justice. The second of 96 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 2: those three charges relates to allegations that Matt Wright went 97 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 2: to the Brisbane hospital where Sebastian Robinson was recovering after 98 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:39,719 Speaker 2: the helicopter crash that he attended there on the eleventh 99 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 2: and burned of March twenty twenty two, and that while 100 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,719 Speaker 2: he was there he tried to get Sebastian Robinson to 101 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 2: falsify the maintenance records of the helicopter involved in the crash. Now, 102 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:53,760 Speaker 2: Matt right, of course, strenuously denies these allegations. He's pleaded 103 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 2: not guilty, but I would expect that we're going to 104 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:57,719 Speaker 2: hear quite a bit more about that today. 105 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, and match we know as well, you know that 106 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 1: there's been well it seems like there's been a number 107 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:07,800 Speaker 1: of covertly recorded conversations as well by the Northern Territory Police. 108 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:13,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, there have been, and one of those was played 109 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 2: to the court yesterday, and that was a conversation between 110 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 2: Matt Wright and Jock Purcell that was intercepted on the 111 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 2: tenth of August twenty twenty two. So we're talking about 112 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:28,360 Speaker 2: five and a half months roughly after the crash, and 113 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:32,120 Speaker 2: you hear them in that recorded conversation discussing one of 114 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 2: the Hobbs meter and then also, you know you hear 115 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:40,320 Speaker 2: that right sort of saying to Jock Purcell sort of 116 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 2: questioning what Sebastian Romans and might have told investigators already 117 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:48,239 Speaker 2: in relation to this crash. Now, Jock Purcell was asked 118 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 2: about that phone call when he was on the stand 119 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 2: and he said he just had no recollection or no 120 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 2: memory of it. He was pressed on that issue several 121 00:06:55,080 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 2: times by Jason glaciesc who's the Crown prosecutor, but Jock 122 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 2: Purcell was adamant that he couldn't remember the conversation. So 123 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 2: it was three years ago and he just had no 124 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 2: memory of it. 125 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 1: Well, Matt, no doubt going to be a really interesting 126 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: day today. Are we still expecting this case to go 127 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: for four to five weeks? 128 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 2: That's the expectation at the moment. I mean we're I 129 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 2: mean we're officially into week three now, but effectively only 130 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 2: into week two because that first week was taken up 131 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 2: entirely by legal arguments. So one would suspect we've still 132 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 2: got a couple of weeks to go here, Katie. Yeah, 133 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 2: so I always expected, probably towards the end of the 134 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 2: month we might be getting towards the conclusion of this case. 135 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:42,720 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, Matt Cunningham from Sky News really appreciate you 136 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 1: keeping us up to date with what's going on in 137 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: the Supreme Court trial of croc wrangler Matt Wright. Thank 138 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 1: you very much and we'll talk to you again soon. 139 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 2: No worries, Thanks Kate, thank you.