Man from Rotherham charged over murder of Ann Widdecombe
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
Joshua Kerry, a 28-year-old man from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, has been charged with the murder of Ann Widdecombe, the former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman, who was found dead with serious injuries at her home in Haytor, Devon, on 9 July 2026. Counter-terrorism police said establishing his motive, including any possible political motivation, remained an active line of enquiry, and Kerry appeared before Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday. The Crown Prosecution Service said proceedings were active and warned against reporting that could prejudice a fair trial.
Kerry was first arrested on suspicion of murder on 11 July, then again on 13 July on suspicion of terrorism offences. Laurence Taylor, head of UK Counter Terrorism Policing, said the investigation had generated more than 800 lines of enquiry, describing it as "particularly intensive and complex", though officers were not seeking anyone else in connection with the case. Widdecombe, 78, had a long political career, serving as Conservative MP for Maidstone for 23 years, holding ministerial posts under Sir John Major, later becoming an MEP for the Brexit Party and joining Reform UK in 2023; tributes following her death came from figures including Nigel Farage, Kemi Badenoch, Andy Burnham and Ed Davey.
- Joshua Kerry, 28, charged with murder of Ann Widdecombe
- Possible terrorism motive still under active police investigation
- Widdecombe, 78, found dead at Devon home on 9 July
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Ann Widdecombe was a well-known figure in British politics, having served as a Conservative government minister and later becoming a spokeswoman for Reform UK. She was 78 and living in Haytor, a village in Devon, when she was found dead at her home on 9 July 2026 with serious injuries.
Because of her public profile and the nature of the attack, the investigation was taken on by counter-terrorism police rather than a standard murder inquiry team, though this does not necessarily mean the case will end up being treated as terrorism-related. A man from Rotherham in South Yorkshire was arrested shortly afterwards on suspicion of murder, and then arrested again days later in connection with terrorism offences, reflecting the fact that investigators are still working to establish a motive.
The case matters both because of Widdecombe's prominence in public life and because any confirmed political or terrorist motive would raise wider questions about the safety of politicians and public figures. As criminal proceedings are now active, reporting on the case is constrained by rules designed to protect the right to a fair trial.
More coverage
- The Star (Sheffield) — Rotherham man charged with murder of Ann Widdecombe
- The Star (Sheffield) — Counter terrorism police issue statement after Rotherham man charged with murder of Ann Widdecombe
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Originally published by feeds.bbci.co.uk as “Man, 28, charged with murder of Ann Widdecombe”.