British crocodile expert Adam Britton faces a potential 249-year prison sentence in Australia after being charged with raping, torturing, and killing over forty dogs, according to The Mirror. The British zoologist, labeled as the ‘world's worst animal abuser,’ broke down in court before his punishment was announced.
Britton is facing 60 charges related to animal sexual abuse inside a shipping container “torture room” last year, as reported by The Sun.
On Thursday, NT Supreme Court judge Michael Grant requested his staff and animal rights activists to leave the room before the hearing began, according to the report. "In my assessment, the material has the potential to cause nervous shock or some other psychological disturbance," he was quoted as saying by ABC. The judge described the offenses as “grotesque cruelty to animals."
While awaiting the final verdict, Britton's lawyer presented a new report and requested the judge to consider it. The report discussed Britton's current state of mind after undergoing "nearly 30 hours of treatment by a psychologist" in prison, the report added.
What is the case?
According to an ABC report, Britton tortured and killed dogs at his residence in Darwin, Australia, and recorded the acts. The report also mentioned that he had a “torture room” — a shipping container — where he sexually assaulted the dogs.
Who is Adam Britton?
Adam Britton, born in West Yorkshire in 1971, pursued zoology at the University of Leeds and later earned his PhD from the University of Bristol. While serving as a senior researcher at Charles Darwin University, he was charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty and sexual abuse. Furthermore, he faces four counts of possessing and distributing child abuse material and 37 counts of aggravated animal cruelty.
