Canberra, Australia
Adam Robert Corden Britton, a prominent crocodile expert who once hosted legendary broadcaster and biologist David Attenborough, has pleaded guilty to many charges related to animal cruelty against dogs.
The 51-year-old Northern Territory crocodile expert is also a Charles Darwin University academic. According to the charges, he started to torture and sexually exploit dogs in 2014 and was arrested in April 2022 for the same.
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In the Northern Territory Supreme Court on Monday (September 26), Britton pleaded guilty to 56 counts — reportedly sexually exploiting more than 42 dogs. He also pleaded guilty to four counts of accessing and transmitting child abuse material.
As quoted by media reports, NT Chief Justice Michael Grant urged the public gallery, security staff and media to leave the court, after that, prosecutor Marty Aust read out the agreed facts of the charges.
He said, "These facts contain material that can only be described as grotesque and perverse acts of cruelty which is confronting and distressing and which in my assessment have the potential to cause nervous shock. Either way, I'll leave that up to you, but the potential has been described."
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Media reports said that details of the offence couldn't be published as they were gruesome. It led to the death of at least 39 dogs.
Britton even sourced other canines off Gumtree Australia in the Darwin region apart from torturing his own dogs. Aust said, "The offender has had a sadistic sexual interest in animals and in particular dogs."
The prosecutor further said: "(He) often built a rapport with the dog owners in negotiating taking custody of their animals, many of whom had to reluctantly give their pets away due to travel or work commitments."
(With inputs from agencies)
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