Details of dog rapist Adam Britton’s psychiatric condition have been revealed in court.
Britton, a crocodile expert, pleaded guilty last year to more than 50 charges relating to animal cruelty after brutally raping and torturing dozens of pet dogs.
Britton would source rescue dogs on Gumtree where he would offer to rehome animals at his sprawling property near Darwin.
His depraved offending, which is too disgusting to print, resulted in the deaths of 39 dogs.
Britton, a once respected academic, returned to court on Thursday for sentencing submissions.
According to the Daily Mail, he became emotional when details of his psychiatric condition were revealed in court.
Darwin’s Supreme Court heard how Britton was affected by “paraphilia”.
Those with the condition can experience recurrent, intense and disturbing sexual fantasies or behaviors involving inanimate objects, children or nonconsenting adults.
Britton had 30 sessions with a psychologist and did express remorse for his offending.
Crown prosecutor Marty Aust said Britton derived “entrenched enjoyment” from his perverse sexual interest in animals.
“There was significant planning to the extent that it was quite a production, with multiple cameras, tripods, various recording equipment, production values, editing,” he said.
“If you watch that footage you will see the extreme pleasure and enjoyment that this man had in creating this and doing these acts.
“His sheer delight goes to the core of it … it’s difficult to read, it’s difficult to hear but to see it, really is something other.”
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Mr. Aust added that “much like any other human being who has a particular sexual interest” Britton was “able to rationally determine whether to act on that interest”.
“He has done so and then, with the incitement and the encouragement of other like-minded persons, he has offended in a way that’s almost beyond description in terms of its significant depravity,” he said.
Mr. Aust said even if Britton’s perversion was treatable “there is still an ever present risk of this continuing”.
Britton’s lawyer, who has requested to remain anonymous due to threats made against him, said that Britton was not a psychopath and can control his urges.
“If (he’s) been able to control it in the past, he will be able to control it in the future,” she said.
“This is a human being who has been afflicted by a condition since very early childhood … it is not his fault that he had that.
“This particular condition is exceptionally taboo in most societies and the court can and I hope would, accept that that would have been a very difficult thing to grow up with and learn to manage into adulthood.”
Britton will return to court for sentencing next month.
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