Adam Robert Corden Britton was sentenced in Darwin Supreme Court on Thursday having previously pleaded guilty to 56 offences related to the torture and sexually exploitation of more than 42 dogs on his rural property.
Chief Justice Michael Grant warned the public gallery that he would have to describe Britton's offending that included "grotesque cruelty toward animals".
"Your depravity falls outside any ordinary human conception," Justice Grant told Britton.
Britton began his offending in 2014 until his arrest in April 2022 after one of the videos of his offending, which he had shared online, was anonymously provided to Northern Territory animal welfare authorities.
Members of the public gallery at times sobbed and gasped as the details of Britton's extensive and violent offending, resulting in the deaths of 39 dogs including nine puppies, were read out.
Britton stood in the dock wearing a black suit with grey shirt and did not visibly react to Justice Grant's sentencing remarks.
Animal advocates had earlier demonstrated outside court holding signs labelling Britton a "zoosadist" who should face the death penalty.Â
The agreed facts stated Britton extensively filmed his offending and shared some of the videos to others online while encouraging them to commit similar offences and offering advice on how to do so.
"Your sheer and unalloyed pleasure is sickeningly evident from the recorded material," Justice Grant said.
Britton was also sentenced for possessing and transmitting "the worst category" of child sexual abuse material.
As well as torturing his own dogs, Britton sourced other canines off Gumtree Australia from unsuspecting owners in the Darwin region.
The former academic, who once hosted world-famous broadcaster and biologist David Attenborough, would share videos and images of himself sexually exploiting the dogs on online forums under pseudonyms.
Britton has been remanded in custody since his arrest.
Britton was a prominent NT crocodile expert and a senior researcher at CDU.
None of his offending is alleged to have been against the reptiles.
Britton was sentenced to 10 years and five months with a non-parole period of six years, backdated to his April 2022 arrest.
Justice Grant ordered that Britton be banned from owning or having on his property mammal-type animals for the term of his natural life.
