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THIS is the terrifying moment a cat was nearly blown up following a sick calculated attack by a local councillor.
James Garnor was forced to quit his post in Whittlebury following the despicable act in the sleepy Northamptonshire village in April 2023.
Footage snapped the moggie, called Suki, walking into Garnor’s rigged birdhouse before the shocking explosion.
Miraculously, the cat survived and darted away from the chaos as plumes of smoke filled the air.
The disgraced councillor then reportedly shared the footage to pals before it found its way to the pet’s owner, Nikki.
The pet was left with singed whiskers and traumatised, according to Nikki.
Despite the incident taking place nearly two years ago, the sickening footage only recently resurfaced.
Nikki said: “She’s not the loving cat she used to be but I don’t blame her.
“The change in her happened pretty much overnight.
“She would come and sit for hours, cuddling and playing and bobbing her head all over you.
“She was there if you wanted a cuddle, like a scarf around your neck.
“Now she very rarely comes near you, and if she does, she’s got her claws out – she hisses, she growls.”
Cops investigated the incident in October 2023, at which time the former councillor attended a voluntary interview and was shown footage of the incident, but authorities ultimately decided there was insufficient evidence to press criminal charges.
Instead, he was dealt with under anti-social behaviour legislation.
In a statement on February 8, Whittlebury Parish Council said: “We are aware of the recent media coverage regarding an alleged incident involving one of our parish councillors.
“The incident in question, which reportedly took place in 2023, was investigated at the time by Northamptonshire Police who decided to not take any further action.
“It is important to clarify that this incident occurred in a private capacity and not in any official capacity as a councillor.
“Whittlebury Parish Council does not have the authority to remove a councillor from their position.
“According to the law, a councillor can only be disqualified if they have received a criminal conviction and a custodial sentence exceeding three months.
“We understand the concerns raised by the community and want to assure everyone that we take all matters of animal welfare seriously.
She’s not the loving cat she used to be but I don’t blame her
Nikki
“We can confirm that Cllr Garnor resigned from the council on Friday 7th February 2025, with immediate effect.
“While the council cannot intervene in private matters, we encourage all individuals to act responsibly and with consideration for the wellbeing of all animals.
“We are committed to maintaining the trust and confidence of our community and will continue to uphold the highest standards of conduct.”
A spokesperson from Northamptonshire Police added: “On August 23, 2023, Northamptonshire Police received a report of a cat being injured by a firework at a property in High Street, Whittlebury.
“Further enquiries established the alleged incident had occurred on April 9, 2023.
“Investigations saw a warrant carried out at a property in High Street, Whittlebury, on October 5, 2023.
“On October 6, 2023, a man attended a voluntary interview regarding the matters reported to the Force.
“A second man was also identified and spoken to in relation to the investigation.
“There was insufficient evidence to prove criminal charges in relation to the investigation.
“The matter was dealt with by use of anti-social behaviour legislation in March 2024.
“The owner of the cat was updated throughout the investigation and was advised of this outcome.”
