Zoologist Adam Britton guilty of 60 bestiality, animal abuse and possessing child exploitation material

WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT. A Darwin zoologist preyed on the trust of pet owners before sadistically torturing, sexually exploiting and killing at least 39 dogs.

Adam Britton pleaded guilty to 60 bestiality and animal abuse charges at the Darwin Supreme Court on Monday.

A well-known zoologist who sadistically tortured, sexually exploited and killed pet dogs before telling their former owners they were “settling in well” has pleaded guilty to 60 beastiality, animal cruelty, and possessing child exploitation material charges.

Adam Robert Corden Britton’s name had previously been suppressed from the public due to the details of his crimes being so depraved they threatened his right to a fair trial.

At the Supreme Court on Monday the 52-year-old admitted to killing at least 39 dogs which he called “f--- toys”, raping puppies, running a “torture room” on his McMinns Lagoon property, and advising others in “zoo-sadism”.

Adam Robert Corden Britton faced the Northern Territory Supreme Court.

In a rare move, Chief Justice Michael Grant excused the Sheriff’s officers and told security guards they could wait outside the courtroom rather than having to listen to details of the crimes – most of which are too horrific to be published.

“The facts contain material describing acts that can only be described as grotesque perversity and cruelty which are both confronting and distressing and which in my assessment have the potential to cause nervous shock,” Justice Grant said.

Britton holds a PhD in zoology and worked as a Senior Research Associate at Charles Darwin University.

The former Brit was also co-chief of a successful Top End crocodilian research and consulting business Big Gecko, keeping saltwater crocodiles as pets on his property half an hour from Darwin.

Crown prosecutor Marty Aust told the court Britton had a sadistic sexual interest in animals – in particular dogs – dating back to at least 2014 when he began engaging in sexual activities with his two Swiss-Sheppard’s Ursa and Bolt.

Between November 17, 2020, and April 22, 2022, he sourced 42 dogs of varying breeds and ages which he later tortured and sexually exploited for sadistic sexual pleasure, killing most of them, the court heard.

Mr Aust said Britton set up alerts on Gumtree for when a new dog or puppy was listed for sale in the Darwin area, building rapport with owners, “many of whom had to reluctantly give their pets away due to travel or work commitments”.

In one case, the owners of a large brown dog “Wolfe” met with Britton twice to “ensure he would be a suitable person who would properly care for Wolfe”.

Britton sent the owners a picture he had previously taken of the dog, with a message saying “Wolfe was relaxed and eating well and enjoying her new home”.

“Unbeknownst to the previous owners the dogs had already been sexually exploited, tortured and killed,” Mr Aust said.

The court heard Britton used the encrypted messaging service Telegram to share videos of his offending through two accounts titled Monster and Cerberus.

He also chatted with other users about bestiality, animal abuse, how to source dogs, and how to dispose of their bodies.

“Owner is looking for a good ‘forever home’ for their beloved pooch, make sure you offer them one … telling them you want a new family member after your old dog died from cancer last year hardly ever fails,” Britton posted in the Monster account.

A search of Britton’s laptop also found 15 child abuse material files he had sourced online, including toddlers being forced to engage depraved acts.

Britton pleaded guilty to 37 counts of animal cruelty causing serious harm or death, 10 counts of raping or attempting to rape a dog, four counts of possessing or transmitting child abuse material, animal cruelty, breaching duty of care to Bolt and Ursa, and using a carriage service in an offensive way.

He was remanded in custody and will return to court for sentencing at a later date.