Ex-councillor seen for first time after 'cat blown up with booby-trapped bird table'
An ex-parish councillor is seen for the first time since quitting his post for allegedly trying to blow up a neighbour's by rigging a bird table with explosives.
Wearing a face mask, exclusive images show James Garnor breaking cover just days after a video emerged of the blast that left 11-year-old tabby Suki with singed whiskers. Mr Garnor, of Whittlebury parish council, stepped down after footage showed the cat leaping from a garden bird house as a firework erupted above its head.
Nikki Elam, Suki's owner, said her pet had been left traumatised by the experience in the village in Northamptonshire. Referring to the American who had a fascination with dead animals, she told the Telegraph last week: "To me, this is like kind of stuff, I felt physically sick."
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Ms Elam claims Mr Garnor was angry with her cat for eating food he had left out for the birds. Mr Garnor did not comment when approached about the allegations. Roger Harrington, the chairman of Whittlebury council, said: "The parish council is aware of the accusation levelled at Coun James Garnor.
"This is a neighbour dispute which has been escalated to involve national media." Suki can be seen in the clip, from April 2023, climbing into Mr Garnor's bird house and sniffing around before remote controlled explosives are detonated.
She manages to escape and flees as plumes of smoke engulf the bird table. Mr Garnor reportedly circulated the clip among friends before it was sent to Suki's owner. She said Suki's whiskers had been singed, adding: "She's not the loving cat she used to be. She was there if you wanted a cuddle, like a scarf around your neck. Now she very rarely comes near you, and she hisses."
In a statement, the council in Northamptonshire said: "We are aware of the recent coverage regarding an alleged incident involving a parish councillor. It was investigated at the time by the police who decided to not take any further action. We can confirm that Cllr Garnor resigned from the council on Friday, February 7, 2025."
Northants police were called in during October 2023 but ruled there was insufficient evidence to raise any criminal charges.