In short:
A court has heard a Canberra man who killed his partner "was intent on not letting her leave him".
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her → hear → him
Adam Britt took to the stand, apologising to Tiffany Spence's family and saying he did not deserve forgiveness for her murder.
What's next?
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What → take → murder
Britt is expected to be sentenced later this year.
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Britt → expect → ?
Warning: This story contains content some readers may find distressing.
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readers → contain → content
The ACT Director of Public Prosecutions has argued a Canberra man should be given a life sentence for murdering his partner due to the "torturous nature" of the attack.
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man → argue → attack
Tiffany Spence, 36, was murdered by Adam James Britt, now 41, at their Reid unit in September 2022, in an attack that took place over two days.
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that → murder → days
Britt's sentencing hearing was told when paramedics found Ms Spence, her "injuries were unlike anything they'd previously encountered".
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they → tell → anything
The post-mortem examination found she had fractures to her ribs and lower back, as well as bruising, cuts, and other injuries on 40 per cent of her body.
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she → find → body
Today, Britt gave evidence at his own sentencing hearing, admitting that the attacks he carried out on Ms Spence equated to torture.
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he → give → torture
The court heard Britt had previously assaulted Ms Spence twice before in their 12-month relationship.
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Britt → hear → relationship
In the lead-up to her death, she had been away from their home for six days and changed her phone number.
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she → change → number
Britt said he intended to "punish her" as he was angry Ms Spence had "lied" to him and "deceived" him.
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Spence → say → him
When asked whether he was "in a rage", Britt answered, "I was".
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I → ask → rage
Britt pleaded guilty to murder on the day his two-month trial was about to begin, in February this year, three years after his arrest.
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trial → plead → arrest
He said he pleaded guilty as he "intended to at least cause serious harm", but denied he intended to kill Ms Spence.
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he → say → Spence
The hearing heard how Britt took photos of Ms Spence at various stages during the attacks.
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Britt → hear → attacks
ACT Director of Public Prosecutions, Victoria Engel SC, suggested he took the images because he "was intent on not letting her leave him".
"[You] wanted to show her how bad it would get if she left for good," Ms Engel suggested.
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Engel → suggest → her
Britt denied he intended to use the photos as a future threat or warning.
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he → deny → threat
When asked what the images did show, he replied: "Look at what did happen when I got angry".
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I → ask → what
Ms Engel argued Britt should be given a life sentence, citing the "torturous nature" of the attacks, saying the period over which they were sustained "speaks of no other intention but to kill".
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they → argue → intention
Britt
Britt's lawyer, Philip Massey, told the hearing that while the murder was "very, very grave and disturbing", the issue was what intention his client had at the time of the attacks.
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client → tell → attacks
Mr Massey referenced the photos Britt took during the attack, saying his client "didn't have an intention to kill".
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client → reference → intention
"There's no point taking photos if he intended to kill her,"he said.
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he → be → photos
Earlier, Britt read out an apology to Ms Spence's family.
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Britt → read → family
I cannot say how sorry I am," Britt said.
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Britt → say → ?
"In no way do I seek forgiveness for what I've done, I don't deserve it."
Britt is expected to be sentenced later this year.
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Britt → seek → it
The Aporia