Former Conservative MP Anne Widdecombe.
Former British minister and former Conservative MP Anne Widdicombe was struck 21 times in the head with a hammer during the deadly attack at her Devon home earlier this month, prosecutors told a London court on Tuesday.The 78-year-old politician was allegedly attacked while having lunch, with the accused remaining inside her home for about two minutes before fleeing.
The court said the attack was captured on home security cameras
According to a BBC report, prosecutor Kashif Malik told Westminster Magistrates Court that 28-year-old Joshua Kerry arrived at Widdicombe’s home in Hightower, Devon, in a red Vauxhall Corsa on July 8, entered through the front door wearing black gloves and struck her repeatedly with a hammer.Kerry then pushed her out of her seat, took her purse, and drove off, prosecutors said. Security camera footage from inside the house allegedly captured the attack.Malik told the court Widdecombe missed a scheduled online interview with the Matt Allwright Show on Channel 5 shortly before 1pm on July 8. After attempts to contact her failed, her personal assistant asked Al Bustani to check on her the next day.
The gardener entered through the open front door and found Widdecombe lying on the kitchen floor with serious head injuries.
Investigation and court proceedings
The court heard that the coroner gave the provisional cause of death as head injuries resulting from the use of blunt force. Police said they were continuing to investigate whether the killing had any political or terrorist motives.Joshua Kerry, from Rotherham in South Yorkshire, has been charged with one count of murder following an investigation by counter-terrorism investigators.
He appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court where he confirmed his identity but was not asked to make a confession.Later on Tuesday, he also appeared at the Old Bailey, where he was remanded in custody. He is scheduled to appear again on October 9 for a case management hearing, while a tentative trial date has been set for June 8, 2027.Widdecombe served as Deputy Conservative for Maidstone for 23 years and held ministerial positions in John Major’s government during the 1990s. After leaving Parliament, she appeared on Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother.She later served as a Member of the European Parliament for the Brexit Party before joining Reform UK as the party’s spokesperson in 2023.
