Who is Adam Britton? British zoologist faces 249 years in prison for rape, torture and killing of dogs

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Adam Britton, a renowned zoologist, has confessed to 60 heinous crimes, including the rape, torture and killing of dogs. The 53-year-old now faces a possible prison sentence of up to 249 years in Australia.

Britain’s leading crocodile expert confessed to sodomy, which led to numerous charges of animal sexual abuse being brought against him in Australia in September last year.

His case shocked and angered animal rights activists and the public alike when details of his disturbing actions came to light.

Britton has admitted an interest in “zoo sadism” and has given instructions to others on how to commit similar acts of abuse in numerous online messages submitted to the Northern Territory Supreme Court.

When Britton recently appeared for sentencing, the court was informed about the mental illness he suffered from, called paraphilia.

Who is Adam Britton?

Born Adam Robert Corden Britton in 1972, he graduated from Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in 1987 and obtained an Honours degree in Zoology from the University of Leeds in 1992.

Britton completed his PhD in zoology at the University of Bristol in 1996.

That same year, he moved to Australia and met his future wife Erin, a gamekeeper and biologist. The couple founded a consulting company specializing in wild crocodiles.

Britton gained international recognition as a crocodile expert, working with prominent figures such as David Attenborough and contributing to various documentaries and educational programs for the BBC and National Geographic.

He was a research fellow at Charles Darwin University in Darwin, Australia, and appeared on the Discovery Channel’s “Animal Face-Off,” which further cemented his reputation as a leading authority on crocodiles.

His career was overshadowed by his criminal activities after he confessed to a series of charges related to the rape, torture and killing of dogs, which he committed in a shipping container dubbed the “torture chamber”.

What accusations are being made against him?

The Australian court was told that Britton searched for rescued dogs on the online classifieds site Gumtree Australia and offered to rehome them on his sprawling property near Darwin.

He reportedly filmed himself committing animal abuse and posted the videos on online platforms under the pseudonyms “Monster” and “Cerberus.” On these platforms, he also allegedly accessed material depicting child abuse.

His disturbing actions resulted in the deaths of 39 dogs.

He also pleaded guilty to four counts of accessing and distributing child abuse material.

“I was talking to someone else about why I love hurting dogs,” he wrote in a secret chat group. “At first I wasn’t sure, but now I live for it. I can’t stop hurting dogs.”

“I was sadistic towards animals as a child, but I repressed it. In recent years I’ve let it out again and now I can’t stop. I don’t want to.”

He added a smiley.

Australian authorities were alerted to Britton’s activities by an anonymous person and launched “Operation Haine,” which resulted in a search warrant for Britton’s home in McMinns Lagoon on the outskirts of Darwin. During their investigation, law enforcement discovered disturbing footage shot by Britton that revealed his animal cruelty.

He was arrested in April 2022.

Britton’s lawyer – who wishes to remain anonymous because he has received threats for representing him – recently submitted a new report to the court detailing the zoologist’s “paraphilia,” a psychological term describing a condition characterized by intense sexual fantasies, urges or behaviors related to atypical objects, situations or people.

What happened at the last hearing?

At Thursday’s hearing, Britton’s lawyer reportedly told the court about his “paraphilia,” which is why the hearing was adjourned.

Before the hearing began, Northern Territory Supreme Court Judge Michael Grant asked his staff and animal rights activists to leave the courtroom because Britton’s behavior was so grotesque.

“This is a person who has suffered from an illness since early childhood,” said Britton’s lawyer. “It is not his fault that he has this.”

“This particular illness is an absolute taboo in most societies and the court can – and I hope will – accept that it must have been very difficult to grow up with it and to learn to deal with it as an adult.”

However, lead prosecutor Marty Aust said Britton derived “deep-rooted pleasure” from his perverse sexual interest in animals.

“The planning was extensive in that it was quite a production, with multiple cameras, tripods, various recording equipment, production values ​​and editing,” he told the court.

“When you watch this footage, you’ll see the tremendous joy and fun this man had in creating this and accomplishing these feats. His pure joy goes right to the core… it’s hard to read, it’s hard to hear, but to see it is really something very special.”

Mr Aust said that Britton, “just like any other person who has a particular sexual interest”, “was capable of making a rational decision about whether to indulge that interest”.

“He did this and then, instigated and encouraged by other like-minded people, committed an offence the seriousness of which can hardly be described,” he said.

Mr Aust said even if Britton’s condition was treatable, “there still remains a risk of recurrence”.

At a hearing earlier this year, Judge Grant expressed doubts that psychiatric evidence could diminish Britton’s moral responsibility for his actions.

“A serial killer, for example, cannot say, ‘I am less morally culpable because I suffer from psychopathy,'” he said in February. “I just don’t see where the evidence leads here.”

Reaction to the charges against Britton

Britton’s sentencing was postponed for the third time after his lawyer submitted a new report to the judge. He is due back in court next month.

Former Northern Territory MP Ross Bohlin described the delay in sentencing as an “abuse of the judicial process”.

“It would be nice if this psychopathic abuse would end today. Unfortunately, the postponement will only prolong the pain,” he said.

At a recent protest outside the courthouse, animal rights activists displayed signs demanding justice, including the death penalty and “justice for the innocent victims of Adam Britton.”

“He needs to be punished so that people don’t think that animals are something that can be exploited and mistreated,” said one protester.

They have realised that the death penalty “will not be introduced”, the demonstrator told ABC, “but being imprisoned forever would be my personal decision.”