A former BBC zoologist and renowned crocodile expert, has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison in Australia for committing heinous acts of animal cruelty.
Adam Britton, 53, who was born in West Yorkshire and later moved to Australia, was found guilty of 56 charges related to the torture and sexual abuse of dozens of dogs on his rural property.
In a Darwin Supreme Court ruling on Thursday, Britton received a sentence of 10 years and five months, with a non-parole period of six years, retroactively applied from his April 2022 arrest.
The judge, Chief Justice Michael Grant, described Britton’s actions as “inconceivable depravity” and imposed a lifetime ban on him owning or being around any mammal-type animals.
Before delivering the sentence, Justice Grant warned those in the courtroom of the disturbing details of Britton’s crimes, which involved “grotesque cruelty toward animals”.
“Your depravity falls outside any ordinary human conception”, he said.
Britton’s case has shocked many, especially as he had built a reputation as a respected academic and crocodile expert. He previously worked at Charles Darwin University and even hosted the famous broadcaster David Attenborough during the filming of the BBC series Life in Cold Blood.
However, his double life came to light after an anonymous tip-off led authorities to discover his horrific acts.
Britton’s offenses, which began in 2014, involved the sexual abuse of his own pet dogs, Ursa and Bolt, in a secret “torture room” on his property in McMinns Lagoon near Darwin.
He continued these acts until his arrest in 2022, after videos of his crimes were shared online. The videos, which Britton distributed under pseudonyms, were used to encourage others to commit similar offenses.
“Your sheer and unalloyed pleasure is sickeningly evident from the recorded material”, Justice Grant said of the videos.
During the sentencing, it was revealed that Britton had acquired many of the dogs he abused from unsuspecting owners through online platforms like Gumtree Australia. He lured pet owners by pretending to offer a loving home, only to subject the animals to unimaginable cruelty.
The court also heard that Britton possessed and distributed child sexual abuse material, adding to the severity of his crimes.
Following his arrest, police seized numerous electronic devices and weapons from Britton’s home. The revelations have led to public outrage, with animal rights activists condemning the sentence as too lenient.
Emma Hurst, an MP for the Animal Justice Party in New South Wales, criticized the sentence as “pathetically weak,” stating: “This man is a danger to other animals and the community.”
Britton’s wife, Erin, who had no knowledge of his crimes, has reportedly changed her surname since the revelations. The couple’s property, where the abuse took place, was put up for sale, but not before being vandalised with the words “Dog Killer” spray-painted on the walls.
In court, Britton expressed remorse through a letter read by his barrister, claiming he had been struggling with a rare paraphilic disorder. This is defined as having persistent and recurrent sexual interests, urges, fantasies, or behaviours of marked intensity involving objects, activities, or even situations that are atypical in nature.
“I deeply regret the pain and trauma that I caused to innocent animals and consequently to my family, friends, and members of the community that I affected”, he stated.
Britton also pledged to seek long-term treatment and asked for privacy for his family as they attempt to heal from the ordeal.