A parish councilor resigned after accusations of remotely detonating explosives near a neighbor’s cat in April 2023.
James Garnor was on Whittlebury Parish Council. This council is located in Northamptonshire. He supposedly filmed a cat named Suki in his birdhouse. He then seemingly caused an explosion in April 2023.
Suki is 11 years old, and the explosion singed her whiskers. Her owner, Nikki, spoke to the Telegraph, describing the incident as disturbing behavior.
Police interviewed Garnor in October 2023 after a local resident filed a complaint, prompting an investigation. Ultimately, there was not enough evidence to press charges.
Almost two years later, on February 7, 2025, he left the council. The council released a statement emphasizing they take animal welfare very seriously and recognized the community’s worries.
They further stated they cannot get involved in private affairs. The council asked everyone to be responsible and think about animal well-being.
The video shows Suki jumping in the birdhouse. She appears to be eating something. Then, a firework seems to explode, startling Suki, who quickly jumps out.
Nikki said Suki’s whiskers vanished suddenly and initially thought Suki rolled in something. A Facebook user later informed her about the explosion involving her neighbor, Garnor, a revelation that made her ill.
Nikki explained that Suki used to be a friendly cat, but now she avoids people. If she approaches, she has her claws out. Nikki noted the change happened quickly, almost overnight.