Man charged with killing Ann Widdecombe accused of hitting her head 21 times with a hammer

LAST UPDATE | 9 hrs ago

A MAN HAS appeared in court charged with murdering Ann Widdecombe by hitting her 21 times on her head with a hammer.

Joshua Kerry (28), from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday over the death of Reform UK spokeswoman and former Tory minister.

The accused was arrested on suspicion of murder on 11 July, two days after Ann Widdecombe (78) was found dead at her bungalow in Haytor on Dartmoor, Devon.

He was also arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, but he has not been charged with this offence.

Kashif Malik, prosecuting, said that on 8 July, Ann Widdecombe did not attend a pre-arranged online interview at just before 1pm, which would have been aired live on Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show.

The show’s production team tried to contact Ann Widdecombe through her personal assistant, who then asked the family gardener to check on her, the court heard.

Prosecutors said he found the politician lying face down on her kitchen floor with a serious head injury the next day, 9 July.

Malik said that on 8 July, Ann Widdecombe had been eating lunch when Kerry allegedly pulled up outside the front of her house in a red Vauxhall Corsa and entered through the front door.

The accused then allegedly used a hammer to hit Ann Widdecombe on the top of her head 21 times, the court heard.

Advertisement

He is accused of tipping her from her chair and taking a wallet out of her handbag before leaving and driving off, having only been in the house for two minutes, the court heard.

A provisional cause of death was given as a blunt force injury to the head, the court heard.

A bearded Kerry, who appeared in the dock wearing a grey tracksuit, spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and Byrley Road address.

He was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey later on Tuesday.

Speaking outside New Scotland Yard on Monday, head of UK Counterterrorism Policing Laurence Taylor said detectives are still investigating any possible political or terrorist motivation.

Ann Widdecombe was first elected as a Conservative MP in Kent in 1987, was a prisons minister in the 1990s and later became an MEP for the Brexit Party.

At the time of her death she was a spokeswoman on immigration and justice for Reform UK.

She also found fame outside politics on Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham called for a serious review of MPs’ safety after Ann Widdecombe’s death and head of UK counterterrorism policing Laurence Taylor said officers are working with parliamentary officials to make politicians aware of protection measures that are in place.

Speaking outside New Scotland Yard on Monday, Taylor said: “I know many have been understandably concerned about their own safety after this horrendous attack, particularly after hearing about the nature of the attack she endured in her own home.

“We are working closely with the Speaker of the House and the relevant authorities to ensure elected officials are aware of what we have in place to protect them.”