Renowned crocodile expert Adam Britton has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison by an Australian court for a series of crimes, including the sexual abuse and murder of dozens of dogs.
The 53-year-old zoologist, who worked on productions for the BBC and National Geographic, has pleaded guilty to 56 charges of bestiality, animal cruelty and possession of child abuse material.
According to case details, Britton acquired 42 dogs online between 2020 and 2022, promising their owners “good homes.” He tortured and abused these animals and filmed the crimes inside a shipping container on his property. At least 39 dogs died from torture.
Britton later shared the videos on the messaging app Telegram. The investigation also revealed that he had been talking about his kill numbers under the pseudonyms “Monster” and “Cerberus.”
Northern Territory Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Grant described the crime as “grotesque” and “unspeakable”. In addition to the prison sentence, Britton was given a lifetime ban from owning or purchasing animals.
Australian broadcaster ABC News said: “You took photos of the dog before torturing and killing it, and then you sent the photos to its former owner as part of telling a false story that the dog was thriving in its new environment. “I sent it,” Judge Grant was quoted as saying.
The court recognized that the scale of the atrocities he committed was completely beyond normal human concept and understanding.
British-born Britton, once a respected figure in the wildlife conservation field, was arrested in 2022. Police found computers, cameras, weapons, sex toys, a dog’s head and the decomposed corpse of a puppy on his rural property.
The incident sparked widespread outrage and calls for stronger regulations and background checks for animal workers.
Meanwhile, animal rights activists say the sentence does not adequately reflect the amount of suffering inflicted on the innocent victims.
Publication date:
August 8, 2024
