Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright has spoken about the most difficult aspects of his five-month jail sentence, focusing on the emotional toll his incarceration took on his family and his own experiences within Darwin Correctional Centre.
Wright was found guilty of perverting the course of justice following a 2022 helicopter crash that resulted in the death of his friend Chris 'Willow' Wilson and injured pilot Sebastian Robinson. He was released on May 11 and subsequently reunited with his wife, Kaia, and their newborn son, Sterling. Wright missed the birth of his third child by just days after a bid for home detention was revoked.
Speaking in a documentary aired by Sky News, Wright addressed claims of receiving special treatment. He stated that due to his high profile, he was housed in a protected, high-security wing alongside approximately 20 other inmates, including individuals with mental health and disability needs, sex offenders, former police officers, and members of a bikie gang. Wright described the experience as "Groundhog Day" and noted the prison system's overcrowding and its potential to harden low-level offenders.
The most confronting aspect for Wright was the impact on his two older children. He recounted a visit where his seven-year-old son, Banjo, remarked that his prison jumpsuit resembled a clown costume. He also described the pain of watching his four-year-old daughter, Dusty, grow through a visitor's glass, unable to be present for everyday moments.
Wright was found guilty of lying to crash investigators about the aircraft's fuel levels and asking the injured pilot to falsify flying hours. A jury could not reach a verdict on the allegation that he asked a friend to destroy the helicopter's maintenance release. While not charged with causing the crash, the court found Wright acted with "no remorse" and pressured a witness. Wright has maintained his innocence and vowed to clear his name, initially pursuing an appeal against his convictions.
However, in the months following his release, Wright abandoned his appeal after incurring significant legal costs, estimated at nearly $2 million. He is now preparing to represent himself in a forthcoming civil lawsuit initiated by Danielle Wilson, the widow of Chris Wilson. The crash occurred during a crocodile egg-collecting mission in Arnhem Land, where Wilson was suspended beneath a helicopter and being lowered to nests.
