Zoologist gets 10 years in prison for sexually abusing and killing dozens of dogs

Warning, this story is quite graphic, so be aware of that. It’s not something I enjoy writing about, but here are the facts. A zoologist has just been sentenced to 10 years in prison for torturing, sexually abusing, and killing dozens of dogs.

Yes, it’s going to get really dark. Animal rights groups have seen the conviction as a slap on the wrist, all things considered. Adam Robert Corden Britton worked as a crocodile expert for the BBC and National Geographic. The courts also convicted him of possessing child pornography.

“Your depravity is beyond normal human understanding,” Northern Territories Chief Justice Michael Grant told Britton, sentencing the zoologist to 10 years and five months.

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“Society sees violence and cruelty to animals as a heinous crime against a powerless and innocent victim. There is legitimate disgust and condemnation,” the judge said.

Zoologist arrested

Ten years ago, Britton was a senior research associate at Charles Darwin University. The zoologist had won praise and even worked with David Attenborough. He began abusing animals in 2014 until authorities finally arrested him in 2022. He later pleaded guilty to 56 charges of animal cruelty and sexual exploitation. Britton abused more than 42 dogs on his property, killing 39 of them, according to news.com.au.

As part of his sentencing, the judge banned the zoologist from ever owning another mammalian animal for life. Britton allegedly filmed his torture of animals. He then shared the videos on online forums and encouraged others to commit similar acts. Psychiatrists determined that he could see that his actions were wrong.

“The suffering of these animals was indescribable,” Grant said. Meanwhile, animal rights groups gathered outside the courthouse. They condemned Britton for his actions. After his guilty plea, the former zoologist apologized in a letter. “No words can express how sorry and ashamed I am, nor can they undo what I have done,” he wrote.

Australian Animal Justice Party MP Emma Hurst called the conviction a slap on the wrist.

“I am relieved to hear that his sentence includes a prison sentence… but it is not long enough,” she told news.com.au. “These were horrific acts of animal cruelty… This man is a danger to other animals and the community.”