Warning this story is pretty graphic, so be aware of that. It's not something I really enjoy writing about, but here are the facts. A zoologist just got 10 years in prison for torturing, sexually assaulting, and killing dozens of dogs.
Yeah, it's about to get really dark. Animal rights groups have called out the sentencing 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 for possessing child pornography as well.
"Your depravity falls outside any ordinary human conception," Northern Territories Chief Justice Michael Grant told Britton. He sentenced the zoologist to 10 years and five months.
"Society views violence and cruelty to animals as an abhorrent crime towards a powerless and innocent victim. There is legitimate disgust and condemnation," the judge said.
Zoologist Arrested
Going back a decade ago, Britton was a senior research associate at Charles Darwin University. The zoologist earned acclaim and even worked with David Attenborough. He began to abuse animals in 2014 until eventually authorities arrested him in 2022. He later plead guilty to 56 charges of animal cruelty and sexual exploitation. Britton abused more than 42 dogs on his estate, killing 39 of them, according to news.com.au.
As part of his sentencing, the judge banned the zoologist from ever owning another mammal-type animal for life. Britton reportedly filmed his torture of animals. He would then share these videos on online forums and encourage others to commit similar acts. Psychiatrists determined that he was able to tell his actions were wrong.
"The suffering of these animals was indescribable," Grant said. Meanwhile, animal rights groups gathered outside of the court house. They condemned Britton for his actions. Following his plead of guilty, the former zoologist apologized in a letter. "No amount of words can convey how sorry and ashamed I am, nor undo what I did," he wrote.
Emma Hurst, a member of parliament for Australia's Animal Justice Party, called the sentencing a slap on a wrist.
"I am relieved to hear his sentence includes time behind bars ... 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."
