Adam Britton, a well-known British zoologist famous for his work with the BBC and National Geographic, has been sentenced to 10 years and five months in Australia for grievous acts of bestiality and animal cruelty.
The 53-year-old Britton pled guilty to 56 charges involving bestiality and animal cruelty, in addition to four counts of accessing child abuse material. The Northern Territory (NT) Supreme Court was presented with evidence showing Britton had recorded himself torturing numerous dogs, leading to the death of almost all the animals, and had shared the videos online under various pseudonyms.
The abuse, which went undetected for years, came to light when a clue in one of the videos led to Britton’s arrest in April 2022. A search of his rural property in Darwin revealed child abuse material on his laptop. The court proceedings were so graphic that Chief Justice Michael Grant cautioned attendees about the distressing content.
“Your depravity falls outside any ordinary human conception,” stated Chief Justice Grant, as reported by the Australian Associated Press.
Britton will be eligible for parole in April 2028, factoring in the time he has already served. He is also banned from owning any mammals for life. Britton’s lawyer contended that his behavior was influenced by a rare disorder causing extreme and atypical sexual interests.