A 53-year-old British zoologist renowned for his expertise in crocodiles, Adam Britton, has been sentenced to 10 years and five months in prison in Australia after admitting to sexually abusing numerous dogs.
Britton, who has contributed to BBC and National Geographic productions, pleaded guilty to 56 charges related to bestiality and animal cruelty in a case that shocked the nation last September.
Chief Justice Michael Grant, presiding over the Northern Territory Supreme Court, warned the public that some details of Britton’s crimes were too disturbing to be shared openly.
He advised those present to consider leaving the courtroom.
Addressing Britton, the chief justice remarked, “Your depravity falls outside any ordinary human conception,” as reported by the Australian Associated Press.
The court heard how Britton had recorded himself torturing and killing nearly all the dogs he abused, later uploading these videos under various pseudonyms.
The grim details left members of the public gallery in tears, with some gasping as the extent of his cruelty was revealed.
Britton’s victims included at least 39 dogs, among them nine puppies. Some of the animals were his own, while others were obtained from unsuspecting owners through Gumtree Australia in the Darwin region.
In addition to the abuse, Britton was found to have encouraged others online to commit similar acts, offering advice on how to engage in bestiality.
Justice Grant condemned Britton’s “sheer and unalloyed pleasure” evident in the recorded material, describing it as “sickening.”
Further compounding the severity of his crimes, Britton was also convicted of possessing and distributing “the worst category” of child sexual abuse material.
Throughout the sentencing, Britton stood silently in the dock, dressed in a black suit and grey shirt, showing no visible reaction to the court’s remarks.
As part of his sentencing, Justice Grant prohibited Britton from owning any mammal species or having them on his property for the rest of his life.
The court documented that Britton’s crimes began in 2014 and continued until his arrest in April 2022.
The authorities were first alerted to his actions after a video of his offences was anonymously sent to the Northern Territory animal welfare authorities.
Outside the courthouse, animal rights advocates condemned Britton as a “zoosadist” and expressed that he deserved the death penalty, although capital punishment has been abolished in Australia since 1985.
Britton had also pleaded guilty to four additional counts of accessing and transmitting child abuse material.
In a secret chat group, Britton admitted, “I was talking with someone else about why I love to hurt dogs. I wasn’t sure at first, but now I live for it. I can’t stop myself hurting dogs.”
He added, “I was sadistic as a child to animals, but I had repressed it. In the last few years I let it out again, and now I can’t stop. I don’t want to.” He concluded with a smiley.
Due to threats from the public, Britton’s lawyer requested anonymity, submitting a recent report on Britton’s “paraphilia” to the court, a psychological condition marked by intense sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviours involving atypical objects, situations, or individuals.
