Counter-terror officers revisit attempted burglary at Ann Widdecombe’s home
Developed over time first seen 3 weeks ago
Counter Terrorism Policing South East reopened an investigation into an attempted burglary reported to the Metropolitan Police in April 2025 while it continues to investigate the murder of former MP Ann Widdecombe. The original incident occurred at an address in Greater London, not at Widdecombe’s Devon home; police said enquiries had been carried out with support from Counter Terrorism Policing London, but no arrests were made and the case was later closed pending new leads. Police have not publicly identified the address, although Sky News and other outlets reported that it was linked to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
Counter Terrorism Policing London said that, after reopening the matter, it identified a potentially relevant line of enquiry that had not been recognised or pursued during the initial investigation. It made a mandatory conduct referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which confirmed it would independently investigate the conduct of a staff member over the alleged failure to pursue that line. The development does not establish a connection between the two incidents: the police statement urged the public and media not to speculate. Separately, the Crown Prosecution Service said Joshua Kerry, 28, had been charged with Widdecombe’s murder; his motive, including any potential political or terrorist connection, remained under investigation and the criminal proceedings were active.
- Police reopened a 2025 attempted-burglary case during the Widdecombe murder inquiry.
- The incident was in Greater London, not at Widdecombe’s home.
- The police watchdog is examining the handling of the original inquiry.
New here? Start with this
Ann Widdecombe is a former Conservative cabinet minister and former Member of the European Parliament. She has remained a well-known public figure after leaving frontline politics, including through media appearances and public comments on political issues.
An attempted burglary is when someone is suspected of trying to enter a property unlawfully but does not succeed. Counter-terrorism police may become involved where investigators need to consider whether an incident could be connected to threats, political motives or a wider pattern of offending.
Nigel Farage is another prominent British political figure, best known for leading UKIP and the Brexit Party, later renamed Reform UK. The available information does not establish any connection between the incident involving Widdecombe and the separate alleged firebombing referred to in reports.
Full account
Counter-terror detectives investigating the murder of Ann Widdecombe have reopened a separate inquiry into a reported attempted burglary at a London address in April 2025, after identifying a line of enquiry that police say was not followed up at the time. The development was disclosed on the evening of Friday 7 August 2026 by Counter Terrorism Policing, which stressed the update was being issued because of the high public interest in the case.
According to a statement from Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, the Metropolitan Police had originally investigated the attempted burglary with support from Counter Terrorism Policing London, but the case was closed without any arrests, pending further leads. Once officers reopened it, they identified a line of enquiry that "may have been relevant" but had not been pursued at the time. As a result, Counter Terrorism Policing London made what it called a mandatory conduct referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which has since opened an independent investigation into the conduct of a member of its staff over an allegation that they failed to pursue a relevant line of enquiry. Police say those affected by both investigations have been kept informed and have urged the public and media not to speculate.
The reopened inquiry sits alongside the continuing investigation into Ann Widdecombe's death. The 78-year-old former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman was found dead at her home in Haytor, on Dartmoor, in July 2026. Joshua Kerry, 28, of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, was arrested on suspicion of murder days later and was also arrested, though not charged, on suspicion of offences relating to the preparation or instigation of terrorism. The Crown Prosecution Service subsequently announced its decision to prosecute Kerry for murder, with Chief Crown Prosecutor Frank Ferguson confirming that police enquiries into a possible political or terrorist motive were continuing alongside the criminal case. Kerry was due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 21 July 2026, and prosecutors have reminded the public that the proceedings are active, warning against reporting or commentary that could prejudice a fair trial.
Coverage of the reopened attempted burglary probe has varied in how explicitly it has been linked to other events. One report has connected the April 2025 incident to a previously reported attack on Nigel Farage's home, in which an alight incendiary device was allegedly posted through his letterbox, attributing that detail to reporting elsewhere. The official police statement, by contrast, describes only an attempted burglary at an unnamed address in the Greater London area and does not identify the property or name any individual associated with it. Reporting has also differed in emphasis: some accounts focus on the failings now under IOPC scrutiny and the questions this raises about police oversight in high-profile cases, while the CPS statement centres on the mechanics of the prosecution against Kerry and the ongoing effort to establish whether a political or terrorist motive was involved.
Where outlets differ
One outlet explicitly links the reopened April 2025 attempted burglary case to an earlier reported incendiary attack on Nigel Farage's home, attributing that identification to another publication's reporting; the official Counter Terrorism Policing statement does not name Farage or specify the property, referring only to 'an address in the Greater London area'.
Coverage varies in emphasis: reporting that highlights the Farage connection also stresses potential police accountability and asks whether officers should face consequences for missing evidence, whereas the official police statement focuses on procedural transparency and the referral process, and the CPS statement concentrates narrowly on the prosecution decision and trial fairness.
Only one source includes graphic detail of how Widdecombe was allegedly killed (repeated blows with a hammer) and mentions Kerry's arrest on suspicion of terrorism offences without charge; this level of detail is absent from the police and CPS statements, which are more restrained given the active legal proceedings.
More coverage
- Sky News — Counter terror police investigating Ann Widdecombe murder reopen attempted burglary probe
- Counter Terrorism Policing — Update: Ann Widdecombe murder investigation
- Crown Prosecution Service — CPS charges man with murder following death of Ann Widdecombe
Art Culture Government Politics World
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “Counter-terror police reopen probe into attempted burglary at Ann Widdecombe’s London home last year”.