VIDEO: Northamptonshire councillor RESIGNS after being accused of BLOWING UP neighbour's cat... TWICE

A Whittlebury Parish councillor has resigned after allegedly setting an explosive trap in a neighbour’s garden. He cannot be named as he has not been charged by police.

The neighbour, Nikki Elam, who lives in Whittlebury near Towcester, claims the former councillor planted the device to stop her cat from jumping on a bird feeder and eating meat scraps.

The first incident took place on April 9, 2023, and was reported to the police in August 2023, after the individual who made the explosive trap recorded the incident and shared it around the village ‘as a joke’.

Nikki said: “I was disgusted when I saw it. I was angry. It made me feel sick. He shared the video with his friends, saying how funny it was. It was circulated around the village, and the majority of those who saw or heard about it were shocked.

"It’s a sign of an unwell mind. To discuss building a trap, then set up a camera to wait for a poor, defenceless cat. I don’t know if he pushed a button and sat there waiting, or if it was a pressure plate detonator.

"I stayed away from him and then went to the police to investigate.”

Speaking about the effects on her cat, Suki, Nikki said: “She changed overnight from a nice, lovely cat to not very nice at all. You’ll be stroking her and then she’ll get her claws out and start hissing at you. I’ve had her since she was a kitten and she’d always sit on your lap, but now she doesn’t like anyone. She lost all her whiskers and eyebrows. The kids are upset, they loved playing with her.”

Police raided the man’s house in October 2023 after receiving the report from Nikki. Following the raid and interviews, police said ‘there was insufficient evidence to prove criminal charges’.

Despite the alleged offence, he was allowed to continue on the council until just last week, when he resigned after the story hit the national press.

A Whittlebury Parish Council spokeswoman 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 not to 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.

“We can confirm that the councillor resigned from the council on Friday, February 7, 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. Whittlebury Parish Council will not be commenting further on this matter. Thank you for your understanding.”

On his resignation, Nikki said: “I like to think it was a forced resignation.”

However, Nikki claims the same man did the very same thing again in the same year following the first incident.

She said: “A second video came to light, he did it again in November 2023. It was a bigger explosion. He played the video, then slow-mo, then still shots, and he made a 1.5-minute video for his sick pleasure and shared it again.

“I’m even more angry and enraged seeing it the second time.”

Northamptonshire Police said: “As with all police forces, we can’t confirm the identity of anyone unless and until they are charged with an offence.”

However, the force has provided a timeline of their investigation:

• 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 inquiries established the alleged incident had occurred on April 9, 2023.

• Investigations included 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 anti-social behaviour legislation in March 2024.

• The owner of the cat was updated throughout the investigation and was advised of this outcome.

Anyone with evidence of further incidents is asked to report it to Northamptonshire Police by calling 101 or visiting www.northants.police.uk