British zoologist Adam Britton is sentenced to 249 years in prison for raping and killing over 60 dogs in Australia

British crocodile expert Adam Britton faces 249 years in prison in Australia after being accused of raping, torturing and killing more than 40 dogs, reports The Mirror. The British zoologist, dubbed the “world’s worst animal abuser,” collapsed in court before his sentence was announced.

As The Sun newspaper reports, Britton is charged with 60 counts of sexually abusing animals in a shipping container “torture room” last year.

On Thursday, Judge Michael Grant of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory asked his staff and animal rights activists to leave the courtroom before the hearing began, the report said. “In my opinion, the material has the potential to cause nervous shock or other psychological disturbance,” he was quoted as saying by ABC. The judge described the violations as “grotesque animal cruelty.”

While awaiting the final verdict, Britton’s attorney submitted a new report and asked the judge to review it. The report discussed Britton’s current mental state after he was “treated by a psychologist for nearly 30 hours” in prison, the report said.

What is the case?

According to an ABC report, Britton tortured and killed dogs in his home in Darwin, Australia, and filmed the acts. The report also mentioned that he had a “torture room” – a shipping container – where he sexually abused the dogs.

Who is Adam Britton?

Adam Britton, born in West Yorkshire in 1971, studied zoology at the University of Leeds and later received his doctorate from the University of Bristol. During his time as a senior researcher at Charles Darwin University, he was charged with animal cruelty and sexual abuse on several occasions. He is also charged with four counts of possession and distribution of child abuse material and 37 counts of serious animal cruelty.

Published on: Monday, July 15, 2024, 10:47 AM IST