Adam Britton, a respected British crocodile expert, has confessed to 60 charges, including bestiality and possessing child abuse material, in an Australian court.
The charges against him include horrific acts of cruelty towards dogs, which he filmed and posted online.
In a Northern Territory Supreme Court hearing, prosecutors outlined the disturbing case against Britton, who had also worked on BBC and National Geographic productions.
Due to the graphic nature of the crimes, the judge warned that the details were “grotesque,” and individuals were advised to leave the courtroom to avoid potential “nervous shock.”
Prosecutors revealed that Britton had a “sadistic sexual interest” in animals dating back to at least 2014.
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Adam Britton had tortured numerous dogs, including his own pets, in a shipping container on his property, which he had turned into a “torture room” equipped with recording equipment.
He would then share videos of the abuse online under pseudonyms.
To obtain more victims, Britton used the online marketplace Gumtree to find people reluctantly giving away their dogs due to travel or work commitments.
He would manipulate them into giving him their pets, providing false narratives and outdated photos when contacted for updates on the animals.
Over an 18-month period leading up to his arrest in April 2022, Britton abused 42 dogs, resulting in the death of 39 of them.
The shocking nature of his crimes led to his arrest after one of his videos was reported to Northern Territory police.
Adam Britton, who was born in West Yorkshire, UK, relocated to Australia over two decades ago to work with crocodiles.
He earned a PhD in zoology and built a global reputation for his expertise, holding an academic position at Charles Darwin University. He even hosted Sir David Attenborough during the filming of the “Life in Cold Blood” docuseries on his property.
Britton, now 51, is currently in custody and is scheduled to return to court for a sentencing hearing in December. His crimes have shocked the wildlife and scientific communities, given his previous standing in the field of zoology.
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