A widely-respected British crocodile specialist, Adam Britton, has confessed to numerous serious offenses, including 60 counts connected to bestiality and child exploitation material, in an Australian court.
The court learned of the deeply disturbing acts committed by Britton, including torturing multiple dogs, of which the vast majority tragically perished. Britton then took to the internet, uploading the distressing videos and accessing child exploitation materials. Renowned for his collaborations with prominent platforms like the BBC and National Geographic, Britton’s sentencing is still pending.
Monday’s hearing in the Northern Territory Supreme Court unveiled the alarming extent of his crimes, many of which are so severe that they’re not suitable for public recounting. The gravity of the facts was such that Chief Justice Michael Grant cautioned attendees about the traumatic nature of the details. Concerned about the potential emotional impact, Justice Grant took the uncommon measure of allowing certain court personnel to vacate the room.
According to the prosecution, Britton had harbored a perverse fascination with animals since at least 2014. Beyond subjecting his pets to cruelty, he deceitfully acquired dogs from unsuspecting owners, using online platforms to exploit individuals parting with their pets due to various reasons.
Britton would then manipulate these owners with fabricated stories, pacifying them with old images when they inquired about their former pets. The grim reality was that he was tormenting these animals in a specially adapted shipping container on his premises, equipped with recording devices. He then disseminated the gruesome footage online under aliases. His dark deeds came to light when one such video reached the Northern Territory police, leading to his arrest in April 2022. Tragically, out of the 42 dogs he victimized in the preceding 18 months, a staggering 39 did not survive.
Britton has been in custody since his apprehension and is slated for a sentencing hearing in December.
Originally from West Yorkshire, Britton had relocated to Australia two decades ago to further his work with crocodiles. As a zoology doctorate holder, the 51-year-old had garnered international acclaim for his knowledge, securing an academic role at Charles Darwin University. Notably, his prominence in the field even led to hosting David Attenborough for a segment of the “Life in Cold Blood” series on his property.
