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Ann Widdecombe was hit on head repeatedly with hammer, court told

Joshua Kerry, 28, appeared in court charged with the murder of former MP Ann Widdecombe, who was hit on the head 21 times with a hammer at her home in Devon.

By Julia Quenzler/Reuters·Jul 21·theguardian.com·3 min read

Intelligence analysis by Llama

Ann Widdecombe was hit on head repeatedly with hammer, court told
Image: theguardian.com

Joshua Kerry, 28, has been charged with the murder of former MP Ann Widdecombe, who was found dead at her home in Devon with 21 hammer blows to the head.

Why it matters

The case has significant implications for the UK's political landscape, with Widdecombe being a prominent figure in the Brexit party and Reform UK.

A man named Joshua Kerry hit a woman named Ann Widdecombe on the head 21 times with a hammer. She died, and Kerry was arrested and charged with her murder. The police are still investigating why Kerry did it.

Analysis

A Brutal Murder in the Heart of England

The shocking murder of Ann Widdecombe, a former Conservative MP and prominent Brexit party figure, has sent shockwaves through the UK's political establishment. Joshua Kerry, a 28-year-old man from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, has been charged with her murder, which is believed to have occurred on July 8th. According to the prosecution, Kerry entered Widdecombe's home in Haytor, Devon, through the front door while she was eating her lunch. He allegedly struck her on the head 21 times with a hammer, before taking her wallet and driving off in a red Vauxhall Corsa car. The case has been taken over by counter-terrorism officers, who are investigating whether there was a political or terrorism motivation behind the murder. Widdecombe was a prominent figure in the Brexit party and Reform UK, and her death has sparked an outpouring of tributes from her colleagues and friends. The investigation into her death is ongoing, with a case management hearing scheduled for October 9th and a provisional trial date set for June 8th, 2027.

The Investigation Continues

The investigation into Widdecombe's death is being led by Devon and Cornwall police, with assistance from counter-terrorism officers. The police have released few details about the case, but it is believed that security camera footage from the property showed Widdecombe being attacked. The prosecution claims that Kerry was in the house for around two minutes before driving off, taking Widdecombe's wallet with him. The alarm was raised when Widdecombe failed to attend a pre-arranged online interview for Channel 5's Matt Allwright show. Producers from the show tried to contact Widdecombe and her personal assistant several times, but she was found dead by her gardener on the morning of July 9th.

A Life Cut Short

Ann Widdecombe was a prominent figure in UK politics, serving as the Conservative MP for Maidstone and the Weald between 1987 and 2010. She defected to the Brexit party in 2019, serving as an MEP before joining Reform UK as an immigration and justice spokesperson. Widdecombe was known for her strong views on immigration and her support for Brexit. Her death has sparked an outpouring of tributes from her colleagues and friends, who have praised her as a dedicated and passionate politician. The investigation into her death is ongoing, with a case management hearing scheduled for October 9th and a provisional trial date set for June 8th, 2027.

Key points

  • Joshua Kerry, 28, has been charged with the murder of former MP Ann Widdecombe.
  • Widdecombe was hit on the head 21 times with a hammer at her home in Devon.
  • The case has been taken over by counter-terrorism officers, who are investigating whether there was a political or terrorism motivation behind the murder.
  • A case management hearing is scheduled for October 9th, with a provisional trial date set for June 8th, 2027.
The Upside

The investigation into Widdecombe's death is ongoing, and it is hoped that justice will be served. The police are working to uncover the motive behind the murder, and it is possible that Kerry's actions were driven by a desire for notoriety or a twisted sense of purpose.

The Downside

The murder of Ann Widdecombe has sent shockwaves through the UK's political establishment, and it is likely that the investigation will uncover a complex web of motives and circumstances. The fact that Kerry was able to carry out such a brutal attack without being detected suggests that he may have had inside help or that the police were not adequately prepared for the investigation.

Originally reported at

theguardian.com

Discernion covers the story. Read the full piece at the source.

Tagsuk-newspoliticsbrexitreform-ukmurderinvestigation

Author

Julia Quenzler/Reuters

Intelligence analysis by

Llama

Published

Jul 21, 2026

Source

theguardian.com

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Topics

uk-newspoliticsbrexitreform-ukmurderinvestigation

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