- British prosecutors charged a 28-year-old man with murder Monday in the death of former politician and reality TV contestant Ann Widdecombe.
- Joshua Kerry was charged after more than a week in custody on suspicion of murder and acts of terror.
- Police are continuing to investigate his motive, including a potential political or terrorist connection, prosecutors said.
- Widdecombe was found dead on July 9, a day after she missed a scheduled TV interview.
- Police said she had been deliberately targeted but did not disclose how she died, citing only 'serious injuries'.
- Kerry remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.
- Widdecombe served as a Conservative member of parliament from 1987 until 2010 and was known for her right-wing political stances.
- She later joined the Brexit Party, winning a seat in the European Parliament, and moved to Reform UK after the UK left the European Union.
- The killing has renewed concerns for politicians about security, which was tightened in the past decade after the murders of two serving members of Parliament.
British prosecutors have charged Joshua Kerry, 28, with the murder of Ann Widdecombe, a former Conservative MP and member of the Reform UK party. Widdecombe was found dead on July 9, a day after missing a TV interview, in her home near Dartmoor National Park.12468
Police believe she was attacked on July 8 and sustained serious injuries in a targeted assault. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities exploring potential political or terrorist motives behind the attack. Laurence Taylor, head of counter-terrorism policing, stated, “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.”3
Kerry was arrested on July 11, initially on suspicion of murder, but was later rearrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism after new evidence emerged. He is scheduled to appear in Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.
Widdecombe, 78, served in the House of Commons from 1987 to 2010 and was known for her right-wing political stances. She later joined the Brexit Party and the Reform UK party, often appearing in the media as a spokesperson. The killing has raised security concerns for politicians, echoing fears following the murders of two serving MPs in recent years.
The investigation remains complex, with detectives working through over 800 lines of inquiry.
“Police are investigating a potential political or terrorist motive, with over 800 lines of inquiry. The suspect, 28-year-old Joshua Kerry, is due in court Tuesday, as Widdecombe's killing renews security concerns for UK politicians.”
The Guardian
