A 28-year-old man has been charged with the murder of former Tory minister and Brexit Party MEP Ann Widdecombe. Joshua Kerry is accused of bludgeoning Widdecombe 21 times with a hammer in her Dartmoor home. The attack was captured on camera, and Kerry was allegedly filmed arriving at the bungalow in his red Vauxhall Corsa before attacking Widdecombe. He then stole her wallet and drove away from the scene. The 78-year-old was found dead 24 hours later, and Kerry was arrested at his home in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on suspicion of murder. He was later further arrested under the Terrorism Act. A post-mortem examination has taken place, but the medical cause of death has yet to be established. The inquest into Widdecombe's death has been suspended until the conclusion of criminal proceedings.
Ann Widdecombe was bludgeoned 21 times over the head with a hammer in a two-minute attack captured on camera, a court heard today. Joshua Kerry is accused of entering the former Tory minister and Brexit Party MEP's Dartmoor home through the open front door and murdering her as she ate lunch in her kitchen.
Her gardener found her lying face down on the kitchen floor, around 24 hours after she was killed. Kerry was allegedly filmed arriving at the bungalow in his red Vauxhall Corsa by Miss Widdecombe's Ring doorbell camera before attacking her with a hammer in view of another camera in her hallway. The 78-year-old was eating lunch shortly before a pre-arranged Zoom interview that was due to be broadcast live on Channel 5's Matt Allwright show at 12.50pm on July 8.
Prosecutors say Kerry drove 300 miles to Dartmoor from his home in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, and entered the property with a hammer hidden behind his back. He is alleged to have confronted Miss Widdecombe as she ate, asking her: 'Don't suppose you have bank cards and ID?
' He then struck her 21 times on the top of her head. The 28-year-old is said to have then tipped her from her chair on to the kitchen floor before rifling through her handbag and stealing her wallet. Just two minutes after entering the politician's home, Kerry was back in his car and driving away from the scene, prosecutors say.
Around 24 hours later, on July 9, Miss Widdecombe's gardener found her lying face down on the kitchen floor with a severe head injury. He had been asked to check on her by her personal assistant after she was unable to contact her. The front door was open and held back by a doorstop. Paramedics were called to the property and confirmed she had died.
Police arrived at 12.01pm. After the red Vauxhall Corsa was traced to Rotherham, Kerry was arrested at his home at 9.07pm on suspicion of murder. He was later further arrested under the Terrorism Act. Police searches of the property recovered a hammer and a pair of gloves from a bin, prosecutors said.
A mobile phone seized from the defendant allegedly contained photographs taken on the day of Miss Widdecombe's murder showing her driving licence and bank cards, which prosecutors say were stolen after the attack. A post-mortem examination has taken place but 'at this stage the precise medical cause of death is yet to be established', Mr Spinney said, as he opened, then adjourned, the inquest.
The coroner confirmed a post-mortem has taken place but said the medical cause of death has yet to be established. Concerns were raised after she missed a media interview the previous day and subsequently proved uncontactable. A statement from Coroner's Officer Sarah Haworth said: 'Concerns were raised that she was uncontactable and an employee who was due at the home address was asked to conduct a welfare check.
'She was found to be unresponsive with visible injuries. 'The post mortem examination has taken place and at this stage of the process the precise medical cause of death has yet to be established. ' She was pronounced dead at the scene at 12.20pm on July 9. Mr Spinney said he would suspend the inquest until the conclusion of criminal proceedings and added: 'It is plain that Miss Widdecombe was much loved and greatly missed.
'I'd like to offer my condolences to the family of Miss Widdecombe.
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