Adam Britton
Adam Robert Corden Britton (born c. 1972) is a British-born Australian crocodile expert and zoosadist who in September 2023 was charged with 60 offences relating to sexual abuse and torture of animals and possession of child abuse material. He has pled guilty to the charges.
Early life and education
[edit]Britton was born around 1972[1][2] in West Yorkshire and grew up in the UK.[3] He graduated from Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in 1987.[4][better source needed] He earned an Honours degree in Zoology from the University of Leeds in 1992 and a PhD in zoology from the University of Bristol in 1996.[5]
Crocodile expert
[edit]He moved to Australia in 1996, where he met his future wife, who was a wildlife ranger and biologist.[2] They set up a consultancy, dealing with wild crocodiles.[1]
Britton and his wife[1] worked for the BBC as a crocodile expert with David Attenborough as well as with National Geographic. In April 2022, he was arrested by Northern Territory police after video footage of him sexually abusing, torturing and killing dogs was passed to the police. He was remanded in custody, pleading guilty on 26 September 2023.[3]
Britton was also employed as a research associate at Charles Darwin University.[6]
He was one of the featured experts in NHNZ-produced, Discovery Channel/Animal Planet program Animal Face-Off.
Criminal history
[edit]Britton started offending in 2014[2] and was arrested in September 2022.[1] There was a suppression order on his name until he pled guilty in September 2023.[5]
He had searched for dogs on the website Gumtree Australia, claiming to rehome them, and telling their former owners that they were thriving in his care, when in fact he had already sexually abused and killed them. He is known to have sexually abused 42 dogs, of which 39 died.[3]
As of 25 September 2023[update], Britton faces 60 charges, which relate to using child abuse material as well as bestiality, to which he has pled guilty.[7]
Sentencing was supposed to occur in December 2023,[5] but was postponed to February 2024, and subsequently postponed again to May 2024.[8] In May 2024, sentencing was postponed for a third time due to the presiding judge's scheduling conflicts for 11 July 2024.[9] His sentencing was postponed once more until 8 August 2024. Having been delayed after last-minute evidence going to his remorse was introduced to the court. Former MLA Ross Bohlin, stated this delay, following a few others, was an "abuse of the judicial process".[10]
Personal life
[edit]He had been married to his wife Erin since 1997. Since his conviction, she has left the marriage and her whereabouts are unknown.[2][11]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Adam Britton's wife Erin once 'helped Prince Harry catch a crocodile'". The News International. 26 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ a b c d McShane, Asher (26 September 2023). "'Sadistic' Married British crocodile expert admits raping and torturing more than 42 dogs in Australian animal shelter". LBC. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ a b c Turnbull, Tiffanie (26 September 2023). "Adam Britton: British croc expert admits sexually abusing dogs". BBC News. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
- ^ Britton, Adam. "Adam Britton". Linkedin. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ a b c "'I can't stop': Dog rapist's chilling message". news.com.au. 26 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ "Mature white crocodile spotted in Australian river". BBC News. 21 November 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
- ^ Fitzgerald, Roxanne (25 September 2023). "Prominent crocodile expert pleads guilty to dozens of bestiality charges". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 26 September 2023.
- ^ "'Sadistic' zoologist Adam Britton remains behind bars as sentencing for bestiality, child abuse material charges delayed again - ABC News". amp.abc.net.au. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ "Northern Territory Courts Twitter". Retrieved 12 May 2024.
- ^ Fitzgerald, Roxanne (11 July 2024). "Sentencing delayed again for zoologist Adam Britton, who abused and killed dozens of dogs". ABC News. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ News.com.au (28 September 2023). "Wife of Adam Britton , who was accused of bestiality, flees country and changes her name". Retrieved 29 September 2023.
External links
[edit]- Croc Blog, Britton's blog
- Adam Britton at IMDb
- crocodilian.com, Britton's website (on the Internet Archive)
- People convicted of cruelty to animals
- 21st-century British zoologists
- British herpetologists
- People from West Yorkshire
- Alumni of the University of Bristol
- Zoosadism
- People convicted of child pornography offenses
- English sex offenders
- English emigrants to Australia
- Academic staff of Charles Darwin University
- People from Darwin, Northern Territory
- Prisoners and detainees of the Northern Territory
- English zoologists
- Alumni of the University of Leeds
- 1970s births
- Living people
- Animal cruelty incidents