Ann Widdecombe, the former British Conservative politician and Reform UK spokeswoman, died after being struck 21 times on the head with a hammer in a brief attack at her home in Haytor, Devon, on July 8. The 78-year-old was eating lunch in her kitchen when the assault occurred, prosecutors told a London court on Tuesday.
Joshua Kerry, 28, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged with Widdecombe’s murder. According to prosecutor Kashif Malik, Kerry arrived at Widdecombe’s secluded bungalow driving a red Vauxhall Corsa and entered through an unlocked front door. Court evidence, including security and doorbell camera footage, showed Kerry wearing black gloves and holding a hammer concealed by his side. Shortly after entering the house, he allegedly asked Widdecombe, “Don’t suppose you have bank cards and ID?” before attacking her.
The assault was described as “planned and targeted” and lasted approximately two minutes. Kerry reportedly struck Widdecombe 21 times, tipping her out of her chair, and then searched her handbag, taking her wallet before leaving the property. Widdecombe’s body was discovered the following day by a gardener sent by her personal assistant, after she missed a scheduled Channel 5 interview. Emergency services were called but Widdecombe was pronounced dead at the scene. A pathologist issued a provisional cause of death as blunt force injury to the head.
Kerry was arrested several days after the killing at his home in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, around 265 miles from the crime scene. He was initially taken into custody on suspicion of murder before also being questioned over suspected terrorism-related offenses. Police and counterterrorism investigators remain actively probing the case, including the possibility of a political or terrorist motive. Scotland Yard’s national head of counterterrorism policing, Laurence Taylor, confirmed the investigation is ongoing and emphasized there is no indication other suspects are involved.
Widdeccombe served as a Conservative Member of Parliament between 1987 and 2010 and was prisons minister during John Major’s government in the 1990s. After leaving Parliament, she became an MEP representing the Brexit Party and was a prominent figure in Reform UK’s immigration and justice campaigns at the time of her death. Her killing has renewed concerns over the safety of politicians in the UK, following the murders of Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016 and Conservative MP David Amess in 2021, both politically motivated attacks.
An inquest into Widdecombe’s death opened in Devon but was suspended pending the outcome of criminal proceedings. Kerry has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear again in the Central Criminal Court on October 9. A provisional trial date has been set for June 8 next year.