A well-known British crocodile expert has admitted to being charged with 60 counts of bestiality and possessing child abuse materials.

Evidence was shown to the Australian court that Adam Britton had recorded himself torturing a number of dogs, nearly all of which died as a result. He not only uploaded these graphic videos to the internet, but he also obtained content about child abuse. Britton is a well-known zoologist who has worked on National Geographic and BBC programmes during the course of his distinguished career. He is currently awaiting sentencing.

Prosecutors presented the case against Britton at a hearing at the Northern Territory (NT) Supreme Court, stressing its clear and unsettling elements. Because the details were excessively graphic, the judge warned that the content was “grotesque” and advised people to leave the courtroom to prevent “nervous shock.”

Britton has had a “sadistic sexual interest” in animals since at least 2014, according to the prosecution. In addition to abusing his own pets, he coerced dog owners into giving up their pets to him. Britton used the Gumtree Australia website to find people who were grudgingly giving up their pets because they had work or travel commitments. He established a phony rapport, negotiating animal custody while, when questioned, misleading the owners with old images and fake updates.

In actuality, Britton mistreated the animals in a specially furnished shipping container on his land that was called a “torture room,” complete with audio recording devices. He used aliases to post videos of these horrible deeds online. After one of these videos was sent to the NT police, they were notified, and Britton was taken into custody in April 2022.

39 of the 42 dogs who were harmed in the 18 months prior to his arrest tragically died. Since his arrest, Britton has been detained and is expected to appear in court in December for a sentencing hearing.

Over 20 years ago, Britton—who was born in West Yorkshire—moved to Australia to further his career as a crocodile researcher. These horrifying disclosures have damaged his reputation despite his academic accomplishments, which include a Ph.D. in zoology and entertaining renowned people like David Attenborough during the filming of the Life in Cold Blood docuseries.