A man has been charged with the murder of Ann Widdecombe. Joshua Kerry, 28, from Rotherham, is set to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday after initially being arrested on suspicion of murder on 11 July.
He was then arrested on 13 July on suspicion of the commission, preparation, or instigation of acts of terrorism.
The Reform UK party spokesperson and former MP was found dead in her remote home in Hayton, Devon, on 9 July having sustained “serious injuries”.
Laurence Taylor, head of UK counter terrorism police, said in a statement outside New Scotland Yard: “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,” he said in a statement delivered outside Scotland Yard.
“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. And as with all murder investigations, understanding the why is a key part of our inquiries.
“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 inquiry. 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 any further offences, we will liaise with the Crown Prosecution Service and submit evidence where appropriate.”
Frank Ferguson, Chief Crown Prosecutor of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “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.”
“We remind all concerned that proceedings against the defendant are active and he has the right to a fair trial,” Ferguson said.
“It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
Police were called to Widdecombe’s home by the ambulance service at around 11.40 am on 9 July after concerns were raised for her welfare.
Officers discovered the former Strictly Come Dancing star with serious injuries, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives later confirmed they believed she had been attacked almost a day earlier, prompting a manhunt.
A 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder, but was later released without charge.
Freelance Reporter, Digital Spy
Rebecca is a freelance journalist who specializes in TV and film. After beginning her career as a digital entertainment journalist for the Express & Star and Shropshire Star, she embarked on a freelance career in 2021 contributing to the likes of Metro UK, The Sun, WhatCulture, Screen Rant, FilmHounds Magazine and more.
Her particular field of interest is horror cinema and she has written for genre publications such as Ghouls Magazine and Moving Pictures Film Club.
LinkedIn
