The prosecutor revealed in court that Anne Widdecombe, a former senior British politician, was murdered inside her home by an assailant who struck her head 21 times with a hammer, while police are investigating the motive.
On Tuesday, 21 July 2026, a UK prosecutor told Westminster Court during the murder inquiry of Anne Widdecombe, a former senior British politician, that she was fatally attacked inside her Devon home while having lunch, suffering 21 hammer blows to the head from the assailant.
On the day of the incident, 8 July, the suspect, 28-year-old Joshua Kerry, drove to Widdecombe’s home, broke in wearing black gloves, violently struck her head with a hammer causing her to fall from her chair, stole her wallet, and fled by car. The prosecutor stated he was inside the house for only two minutes.
That same day, Widdecombe was scheduled for an online interview with a news program but did not appear. The team contacted her personal assistant, who asked the gardener to check on her. On 9 July, the gardener found Widdecombe’s body on the kitchen floor and alerted authorities. CCTV confirmed she was attacked and killed on 8 July.
Joshua Kerry was later arrested, charged with murder, and brought to court before being remanded at Belmarsh Prison. During proceedings, he remained calm and only confirmed his name and birthdate, neither admitting nor denying the charges.
Regarding the motive, counter-terrorism police previously stated this was a targeted attack, and they are investigating whether the motive relates to terrorism or political issues.
The court scheduled a case management hearing for 9 October 2026, with a preliminary trial set for 8 June 2027.
Widdecombe, aged 78, was a key member of Nigel Farage’s right-wing Reform UK party, serving as the party’s spokesperson on immigration and justice until her death.
Earlier in her political career from 1987 to 2010, she served as a Conservative Member of Parliament for Maidstone and held significant government roles, including Shadow Home Secretary in 1999, before transitioning to a television career.
Widdecombe was known for her opposition to abortion and for opposing equalizing the Age of Consent between same-sex and opposite-sex relationships.
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Source:bbc