Adam Britton: Hardened detective says disgraced zoologist’s depraved crimes ‘most horrific’ ever seen

WARNING: CONFRONTING CONTENT

The hardened detective who led the investigation into Adam Britton’s crimes says the depraved zoologist’s indescribable cruelty towards animals constitutes the “most horrific case” the NT Police Force has ever seen.

In April 2022, the NT’s joint anti-child exploitation team executed a search warrant at Britton’s semi-rural home, south of Darwin, after identifying him as the perpetrator in an extreme animal cruelty video that had been anonymously sent to authorities.

Britton was arrested and charged with dozens of offences including bestiality, animal cruelty, aggravated animal cruelty and child exploitation crimes.

In his first interview about the high-profile and long-running case, Det-Sgt. Mark Cronin said catching and prosecuting Britton — who was then a highly-regarded international crocodile expert — had been a team effort.

“The identification of Adam Britton, his residence, and the remote area of bushland involved four members of the NT JACET,” he said.

“This team specialises in investigating child exploitation offences and excels at online investigations and victim identification.

“However, the execution of the warrant was supported by various other teams, including digital forensics, the tactical response group, other detectives, crime scene officers, animal welfare inspectors and AFP members attached to the JACET.”

After two and a half years, Britton was finally sentenced last month after pleading guilty to 63 charges.

Det-Sgt. Cronin, the officer in charge, declined to comment on whether any of his members had suffered vicarious trauma from working on the case.

“We don’t have an exact number (of members who viewed the evidence), but exposure was minimised as much as possible,” he said.

“However, NTP JACET members and the digital forensics unit were exposed to the material.

“Additionally, those involved in the search warrant were exposed to the distressing scenes, including the animal remains found on Britton’s property.”

Despite having spent a decade fighting child abuse, sex crimes and domestic violence, Det-Sgt. Cronin said Britton’s offending was definitely the worst he had ever seen.

“Yes, this is certainly the most horrific case we’ve encountered,” he said.

“Unfortunately, this investigation has shed light on the fact that such crimes are more widespread and similar cases exist globally.”

During the investigation — codenamed Operation Haine — detectives identified another Telegram user in the United States who had shared animal cruelty material with Britton.

NT Police referred him to Homeland Security Investigations. Its agents and analysts identified him as Lucas Russell VanWoert.

VanWoert has since been jailed on charges related to animal cruelty and child sexual abuse material.

Like VanWoert’s crimes, the details of Britton’s offending have been too distressing to publish.

Even NT Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Grant, who sent Britton to jail, was loath to read out the details of his “grotesque depravity and cruelty” in court.

In fact, he repeatedly warned those present that the proceedings would involve graphic descriptions which had “the potential to cause nervous shock or some other adverse psychological reaction in persons who are exposed to them”.

“For that reason, I provide this very clear warning that any person who considers themselves susceptible to such a reaction should not be present in the courtroom during the balance of these proceedings while I make these sentencing remarks,” he said last month.

“For that reason also, I have excused and will excuse the Sheriff’s Officers from any further participation in the proceedings.”

Justice Grant said Britton’s offending had involved a degree of depravity and reprehensibility which falls “entirely outside any ordinary human conception and comprehension”.

“Your decision as a mature and well-educated man to begin and continue performing these unspeakable acts was the result of evil motivation and intention, rather than impaired mental functioning,” he said.

“On each occasion the violence inflicted on these animals was severe and usually prolonged.

“The suffering of these animals was indescribable.”

The experienced judge said he was “entirely unable to conceive of anything worse” than Britton’s crimes.

“In addition, your modus operandi was one of devious and careful premeditation and planning,” he said.

“The fact that you staged each of these remorseless killings as a production further reinforces the meticulous level of your planning.”

Justice Grant agreed with the senior Crown prosecutor Marty Aust’s submission that the “sheer and unalloyed pleasure” Britton derived from inflicting this torture was “sickeningly evident” from the recorded material.

“The objective seriousness of your criminal conduct is further elevated by the fact that you took videos of the grotesque harm you were inflicting on these animals,” the judge said.

“You then revisited those videos for your own sexual gratification and you shared them for the gratification of other deviants.

“I also have no doubt that you would have continued with this conduct had you not been arrested by police. You had no intention of stopping and you would not otherwise have stopped.”

On August 8, after pleading guilty to 63 offences, Britton was convicted and sentenced to 10 years and 5 months in prison.

The 53-year-old, whose sentence was backdated to April 2022, will be eligible to apply for parole after six years in jail.

To report animal cruelty, contact the RSPCA.