Renowned British Zoologist Sentenced to Over 10 Years for Horrific Animal Abuse and Bestiality in Australia

British zoologist Adam Britton

Adam Britton, a prominent British zoologist and crocodile expert, has been sentenced to 10 years and five months in prison after pleading guilty to the sexual abuse and torture of dozens of dogs in Australia. The 53-year-old, who had been involved in BBC and National Geographic productions, admitted to a series of heinous crimes that shocked the public and legal community alike.

Chief Justice Michael Grant, presiding over the Northern Territory Supreme Court, warned that the details of Britton’s crimes were too graphic for public disclosure, advising those present to leave the courtroom if they felt disturbed. “Your depravity falls outside any ordinary human conception,” Justice Grant stated during the sentencing, according to the Australian Associated Press.

Britton, who worked as an academic at Charles Darwin University, confessed to 56 charges related to bestiality and animal cruelty. The court heard that he had filmed himself torturing animals, with at least 39 dogs, including nine puppies, dying as a result. He also shared these videos online under pseudonyms and encouraged others to commit similar acts of abuse.

The details of Britton's crimes left members of the public gallery sobbing and gasping as they were read aloud in court. Britton reportedly sourced some of the dogs from unsuspecting owners through Gumtree Australia, while also abusing his own pets.

In addition to the animal abuse charges, Britton was sentenced for possessing and transmitting child sexual abuse material. Justice Grant described Britton's pleasure in these acts as “sickeningly evident” from the recorded material.

During sentencing, Britton, who appeared emotionless in the dock, was banned for life from owning or having any mammal species on his property. His offenses, which began in 2014, were only discovered in April 2022 when a video of his actions was anonymously submitted to Northern Territory animal welfare authorities.

Outside the courtroom, animal rights advocates labeled Britton a “zoosadist” and expressed their outrage, with some even calling for the death penalty, though capital punishment has been outlawed in Australia since 1985.

Britton's lawyer, who has faced threats for representing him, presented a report during the sentencing hearing that described the zoologist's "paraphilia," a psychological condition characterized by intense sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviors involving atypical objects or situations. Despite the detailed presentation of Britton's psychological condition, the severity of his crimes led to a substantial prison sentence.