British Zoologist Faces 249-Year Jail For Raping, Killing Over 60 Dogs

Adam Britton, a leading British zoologist who worked with the BBC and National Geographic, has been sentenced to 249 years in prison for torturing, raping, and killing several dogs at his place in Australia. The final hearing for the case was adjourned on July 11 after his lawyer produced a fresh report to the judge. The court will now hear the case in August 2024. In September 2023, Britton pleaded guilty to the heinous crime and admitted to even filming the act and posting it online, as reported by the BBC.

Judge Michael Grant of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory reportedly said, "In my assessment, the material has the potential to cause nervous shock or some other psychological disturbance." He called the offending as “grotesque cruelty to animals". 

Fresh Reports In Case

Adam Britton confessed to the Australian court in 2023 that he tortured dozens of dogs until they died, and all of this was recorded on camera. He also confessed to accessing child abuse material online, among 60 other charges. The Court sentenced him to 249 years in prison.

However, Britton's lawyers presented fresh reports ahead of the final verdict, requesting a reduction in his sentence. The report talked about the zoologist's current state of mind after he took "nearly 30 hours of treatment by a psychologist" in prison. The court was thus adjourned.

Britton's lawyers said, "Remorse is considered evidence of rehabilitative prospects, as is insight. Those are things that may not be present the first time that someone speaks to someone in a professional capacity. They are things that often evolve with treatment. They're not fixed in stone."

Crocodile Expert Admits Sexually Abusing Dogs

According to reports, Adam Britton, who had a PhD in Zoology and held academic positions at Charles Darwin University, was born in West Yorkshire and grew up in the UK before moving to Australia over 20 years ago to work with crocodiles. He abused over 60 dogs, of which 32 had died in the 18 months prior to his arrest. He has been remanded in custody since his arrest in 2022.

The judge at the Northern Territory Supreme Court warned people to leave the courtroom because the details of the crime were too graphic and could possibly lead to “nervous shock,” according to local media. According to the prosecutors, Adam Britton has exhibited a "sadistic sexual interest” in animals since 2014. Since then, he has been sexually exploiting his own pets as well as dogs given up by their owners.

The 51-year-old reportedly used to search for people who were hesitantly giving away their pets due to work or travel commitments on the online marketplace platform Gumtree Australia. The prosecutors explained that he would “build rapport” with them to negotiate taking custody of the animals. If they reached out to check on their former pets, Britton would use a “false narrative” or send old photos to the previous owners.

Britton equipped a shipping container with recording instruments where he abused the animals and referred to it as the “torture room.” He would abuse the dogs in the torture room, film the act, and share the footage online under pseudonyms. Britton was arrested in April 2022 after the Northern Territory police stumbled upon one such video of Britton torturing the dogs. The next court hearing is in August 2024.