Zoologist Adam Britton sentenced for ‘remorseless killing’, sexual torture of pet dogs
In sentencing, Chief Justice Michael Grant said he had ‘no hesitation’ in accepting prosecutors’ submission that 39 of the offences fell ‘within the worst category of offending of this type’.
Disgraced Darwin crocodile expert Adam Britton will spent at least six years behind bars for the “remorseless killing” and sexual torture of dozens of beloved pet dogs.
The 53-year-old was sentenced in the Supreme Court on Thursday to 10 years and five months in prison, with a non-parole period of six years, after pleading guilty to more than 60 separate offences.
A courtroom packed with animal activists wept and shook as Chief Justice Michael Grant outlined the “horrendous, depraved, brutal and callous” acts that constituted the 39 individual counts of sickening animal cruelty.
In sentencing, Chief Justice Grant said it was “difficult to conceive how any crime of this nature could be more serious”, saying “the suffering of these animals was indescribable”.
“On each occasion the violence inflicted on these animals was severe and usually prolonged, the content of the agreed facts and the descriptions I’ve given in these sentencing remarks illustrate that graphically,” he said.
“The sheer deviance and brutality of your conduct is not satisfactorily encompassed by the bare description that you killed each animal intending to cause its death - you conduct involved so much more than that.
“You used weapons extensively in the course of your activity - including knives, wooden clubs, pliers, bolt cutters, hacksaws and axes - as the Crown has submitted, the clear and unalloyed pleasure that you derived from inflicting this torture is sickeningly evident from the recorded material.
“In addition, your modus operandi was one of devious and careful premeditation and planning, the individuals from whom you procured these dogs thought they were going to a good home and that they would be protected.”
Chief Justice Grant said aside from the “high degree of callousness in the way you dealt with and then disposed of the animals”, Britton’s “motivations were of the basest and most perverse kind”.
“You took videos of the grotesque harm you were inflicting on these animals, you revisited those videos for your own sexual gratification and you shared them for the gratification of other deviants,” he said.
“The fact that you staged each of these remorseless killings as a production further reinforces the meticulous level of your planning.”
In finding the maximum penalty of two years in prison for each offence was “the only appropriate sentence”, Chief Justice Grant said the offending could “only be properly described as falling within the worst category of offending of this type”.
“It’s beyond and beside the point that it may be possible to conceive of an even worse instance of this type of offending, although in this particular case I am entirely unable to conceive of anything worse,” he said.
In also banning Britton from owning any mammal “for the term of his natural life”, Chief Justice Grant said he had “no doubt you would have continued with this conduct had you not been arrested by police”.
“I consider that as matters presently stand, you are likely to commit a further offence in respect of an animal and that risk will continue to present unless you are subjected to effective psychotherapy and antilibidinal treatment over an extended period,” he said.
“I’m less ready to accept that you are genuinely remorseful, that is particularly so having regard to the sheer delight you took in the torture of these animals and the persistence of your conduct in that respect.
“And what appears to be your continuing view that sexual interactions with animals short of sadism isn’t harmful.”
Members of the public called out “you’ll be dead before then”, “it’s coming baby” and “you’re dead Adam” as Britton was led away from the dock for the last time.
Darwin dog killer breaks silence in ‘apology’ for sick crimes
Sadistic serial dog killer Adam Britton says he is determined to “find a path towards redemption” as prosecutors push for a lifetime ban on the former crocodile expert from being in contact with animals.
Britton pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court to scores of bestiality, animal cruelty and other offences after admitting to torturing, raping and killing at least 39 dogs at his McMinns Lagoon property between November 2020 and April 2022.
He returned to court on Thursday morning for a sentencing hearing in which Crown prosecutor Marty Aust asked Chief Justice Michael Grant to ban Britton from owning or cohabiting with any animal.
Mr Aust said given Britton’s paraphilia “appears to be treatable but ever present”, the Crown was asking for “a lifetime order, for obvious reasons”.
“We would submit that your honour would be satisfied that really there is an ever present risk in this case for this offender,” he said.
But Britton’s barrister — who asked not to be named due to ongoing threats and abuse — said while it was “understandable in an emotive case like this” that a lifetime order might seem reasonable “at first blush”, it was “an extreme measure”.
“Firstly, that order would apply to any animal and the offending in this case has been limited to a particular type of animal,” she said.
“We certainly don’t cavil with this being a case in which such an order would be appropriate but a lifetime and all animals for a person who is motivated to receive treatment and has reasonable prospects of rehabilitation would be too extreme.”
In response to a question from Chief Justice Grant about a ban from contact with “mammals” alone, the defence lawyer said she would take instructions from Britton but “I think it’s probably a reasonable confinement of the order”.
Britton’s barrister also read from a document penned by her client described as “effectively an apology to the community”, which he had been “ruminating on and thinking about” for some time.
“I take full responsibility for the demeaning crimes that I perpetrated on dogs,” he said.
“I deeply regret the pain and trauma that I caused to innocent animals and consequently to my family, friends and members of the community that I affected, I let you all down and I’m truly sorry.
“I now acknowledge that I’ve been fighting a rare paraphilic disorder for much of my life and that shame and fear prevented me from seeking the proper help I needed.”
Britton said “no amount of words can convey how sorry and ashamed I am, nor undo what I did” but he was “determined to prove I am better than this”.
“That I will seek long term treatment and that I will find a path towards redemption,” he said.
“Please give my family the space they deserve to heal, they were not aware or involved in any way.”
Chief Justice Grant adjourned the court for sentencing before a full public gallery at 1pm on Thursday.
