Badger Man’s Land Rover Torched: Isle of Wight Cat Blamed, £18K Lost
Badger man Graham Lee, a noted wildlife volunteer in Freshwater, Isle of Wight, lost his £18,500 Land Rover in a surreal act of revenge when neighbor Susan Lupton, 63, torched the vehicle, believing his badgers killed a cat. Searchers wonder: why do people burn cars over animals, and can badgers be blamed for feline deaths? Lee valiantly fought the blaze with a garden hose, remarking, “The badgers have not come back to my property since the incident a year ago.”
Referencing Lee’s garden-hose battle, the court revealed Lupton’s arson spree destroyed not just the 4x4 but also a Japanese maple and an extractor fan, raising queries like, can you sue a neighbor for arson, and what happens if your car is set on fire? The scene resembled a wildlife documentary directed by Kafka: a Land Rover, a burning maple, and a writer with match advice from a firefighter. “Her actions ruined my life,” Lee declared, his property now suspiciously badger-free.
Local property prices average £400,000—nearly double the UK norm—meaning one stray match can transform a peaceful Isle of Wight cul-de-sac into a £20,000 crime scene and a cautionary tale for aspiring badger whisperers.
