Ann Widdecombe suspect Joshua Kerry charged with murdering ex-Tory MP

Joshua Kerry, 28, was originally detained on suspicion of Ann Widdecombe’s murder, before being re-arrested two days later on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism

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A man has tonight been charged with the murder of former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe.

Joshua Kerry, 28, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, is set to appear in Westminster Magistrates Court on Tuesday accused of attacking the Conservative turned Reform UK spokeswoman in her Devon home.

Kerry was originally arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday, July 11, before being re-arrested two days later on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

Frank Ferguson, Chief Crown Prosecutor of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “We have decided to prosecute Joshua Kerry for murder following a police investigation into the death of Ann Widdecombe in Haytor, Dartmoor.

“Police enquiries into the defendant’s motives are ongoing, including a potential political or terrorist connection.

“Our prosecutors have worked closely with the police to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this case to court, and we will continue working with them as their investigation progresses.”

Head of National Counter Terrorism Policing, Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, added: “I would like to firstly offer my deepest condolences to the family of Ann Widdecombe, and to everyone who knew and loved her. The impact she had on public and political life in this country has been clear to see since her death on the 8th of July.

“I hope some of the tributes paid over the last week have been of comfort to her family, who are also being supported by our specialist family liaison officers. It remains the case that we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.

“I know there has been significant interest in this case – and rightly so. I want to make it very clear that our investigation into this individual, determining his motivations and any wider activity he may have been involved in is continuing.

“Given Ann Widdecombe’s profile and the targeted nature of the attack, determining the motivation, including any possible political motivation, remains an active avenue of investigation for our detectives.

“As with all murder investigations, understanding the ‘why’ is a key part of our enquiries. This has been, and remains, a particularly intensive and complex investigation.

“Over the last week, our teams have gathered a huge amount of information, leading to over 800 lines of enquiry. Each of those needs assessing, carefully and thoroughly, and I ask that we are given the time to do that.

“Should Counter Terrorism Policing identify further offences, we will liaise with the Crown Prosecution Service and work to submit evidence where appropriate.

“As always, to ensure the best outcome for victims and their families, we must do this right, not just quickly. And I reiterate my ask for the support of the public in this.

“I know many have been understandably concerned about their own safety after this horrendous attack, particularly after hearing about the nature of the attack she endured, in her own home.

“We are working closely with the Speaker of the House and the relevant authorities to ensure elected officials are aware of what we have in place to protect them.

“As criminal proceedings are now underway, and to avoid impeding the judicial process, we will not be making any further comment on the investigation unless absolutely appropriate.

“I would like to thank the public, the media, and those right across the political spectrum for their engagement and support whilst we progress this challenging investigation.

“I ask for patience as our teams do their work, thank you for your support so far.”

Ms Widdecombe was killed in her house on Wednesday July 8, 30 minutes before she was set to appear via video call from home, on Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show. The 78-year-old had last messaged a producer at 12.19pm but failed to respond to a text at 12.48pm.

Devon and Cornwall Police believed she died at 12.30pm in the bungalow where she lived alone with her cat on the edge of Dartmoor National Park. Her body remained undiscovered for almost 24 hours before being found in the kitchen of the house at 11.40am the next day.

An inquest will be opened into the death of Ms Widdecombe on Tuesday morning.

Kerry is understood to have been unemployed since working as an office administrator up until two years ago.

Ms Widdecombe was first elected a Conservative MP in Kent in 1987, then served as an MEP for the Brexit Party and spokeswoman for Reform UK. She also starred in Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he had spoken to his successor Andy Burnham, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform UK’s Mr Farage to “urge everybody to come together at a moment like this”.

Paying tribute to Ms Widdecombe, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said on Tuesday: “Ann Widdecombe dedicated her life to politics and public service. For nearly 40 years, she was a fixture of our political life. She brought conviction to our politics, grounded in her profound Catholic faith. She was forthright in her opinions and argued courageously for the things she believed in. But, perhaps most of all, she brought an inimitable style to politics. She was forthright and fearless.”

The Home Secretary added: “She was one of those rare politicians who was bigger than politics.”

House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle also paid tribute to Ms Widdecombe in the chamber. He said: “Ann was a formidable politician, a prominent figure in public life. She was a member of Parliament for Maidstone for 23 years, holding a number of ministerial posts in the 1990s.

“Ann was fierce and enjoyed robust political debate. Whether you agreed with her or not, she was principled, spoke her mind and was true to her beliefs, informed by a Christian faith. She was a friend in many ways. Politically we may not agree, but she was without doubt a courageous, principled politician and all our thoughts are with her family and her friends.”

Sir Lindsay has previously spoken about his fears for MPs following the killings of Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016 and Conservative David Amess in 2021. He added: “Ann was a close friend to David Amess and both were animal lovers.”

Counter Terrorism Policing took over the investigation into Ms Widdecombe’s death after Devon and Cornwall Police initially said there was “nothing to suggest” the murder had been politically motivated.

Terrorism laws allow a suspect to be held for up to seven days in the first instance, with investigators permitted to apply for time extensions up to 14 days in total.