THE ‘world’s worst animal abuser’ has pleaded guilty to raping puppies and torturing 39 dogs after luring owners in on Gumtree.
Adam Robert Corden Britton, 51, sexually abused more than 42 dogs before he was snared in April 2022 – eight years after the sick attacks began.
Britton – a senior researcher at Charles Darwin University in Australia – pleaded guilty to the “grotesque and perverse” acts at Darwin’s Northern Territory Supreme Court on Monday.
Prosecutor Marty Aust said the offender – whose crimes are too sick to be published – had a “sadistic sexual interest in animals and in particular dogs”.
Britton targeted his own pets, as well as other dogs he bought from unsuspecting owners on Gumtree.
Chief Justice Michael Grant urged members of the public gallery, security staff and media to leave the court before details of the crimes were read out.
He said: “These facts contain material that can only be described as grotesque and perverse acts of cruelty which is confronting and distressing and which in my assessment have the potential to cause nervous shock.
“Either way I’ll leave that up to you, but the potential has been described.”
Britton – a crocodile expert – would approach owners on Gumtree and often built up a rapport with them before they agreed to hand over their pets.
Many had no choice but to give their dogs up as they had to move away due to work or travel commitments.
In one instance, Britton sent a message to a previous owner telling them that their large brown dog was “settling in well”.
The message read: “Wolfe was relaxed and eating well and enjoying her new home.”
Britton had already “sexually exploited, tortured and killed” the pup.
The sick ex-academic would share heinous videos and pictures of him abusing the pets online to forums under a series of pseudonyms.
One video was sent to the NT Animal Welfare Branch and passed onto cops – who then arrested Britton.
He has been remanded in custody and will return to court on December 13 for sentencing submissions.