Adam Britton UK zoologist who raped and tortured dogs—and how he was caught

Britton, 52, pleaded guilty to 56 counts of bestiality and animal cruelty, as well as four counts of obtaining and disseminating child abuse material.

His crimes, described by the judge as “grotesque” and capable of causing “nervous shock,” were committed over at least a decade.

The crimes filled 90 pages of court documents, and as the trial went on, people in the courtroom ran out to vomit and mouthed curse words at him.

Britton exploited pets and manipulated unsuspecting dog owners into giving him their animals, which he then abused in a specially equipped shipping container on his property, referred to as his “torture room.”

When they asked how their pets were doing, he sent them old videos. Court documents report that he tortured at least 42 dogs, killing 39 of them.

Britton’s actions went unnoticed until an anonymous tip led to his arrest in April 2022 after a video he uploaded revealed a clue to his location.

The court heard how he went to tremendous lengths to conceal his identity and whereabouts, but a minor detail in one film led to his arrest. A puppy he assaulted wore a bright orange City of Darwin dog leash.

The court was presented with evidence of Britton’s ongoing sadistic behaviour and his communications with like-minded individuals online, where he showed them videos of his sexual assault and torture of animals. He shared that he started raping horses at the age of 13 in these chatrooms.

He even taught them how to do the same; when asked what he does with the animals who die, he said he feeds them to other animals—presumably the eight crocodiles he harbours.

His lawyer argued that Britton had struggled with intense and atypical sexual interests since childhood.

In addition to his prison sentence, Britton has been banned for life from owning or being in contact with animals. He expressed regret for his actions in a letter read in court, claiming his crimes were driven by a rare disorder.

Britton’s sentence brings an end to a sad chapter in which he caused unimaginable agony to animals, deceived their owners, and publicly shared his misdeeds.