A 28-year-old man has been charged with murdering former MP Ann Widdecombe after she was found dead at her home on Dartmoor, the Crown Prosecution Service has announced.
Ms Widdecombe, a former Conservative minister and later a spokesperson for Reform UK, was discovered at her property in Haytor on Dartmoor at about 11.40am on Thursday, 9 July. She had sustained serious injuries and was pronounced dead, the CPS said.
The CPS said Joshua Kerry, 28, of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, has now been charged with her murder.
He is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, according to the CPS.
Kerry was initially arrested on suspicion of murder on 11 July, two days after the 78-year-old Reform UK spokeswoman was found dead at her home in Devon.
Police later detained him again on 13 July on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
Frank Ferguson, Chief Crown Prosecutor of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “We have decided to prosecute Joshua Kerry for murder following a police investigation into the death of Ann Widdecombe in Haytor, Dartmoor.
“Police enquiries into the defendant’s motives are ongoing, including a potential political or terrorist connection.
“Our prosecutors have worked closely with the police to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this case to court, and we will continue working with them as their investigation progresses.
“We remind all concerned that proceedings against the defendant are active and he has the right to a fair trial.
“It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information which could in anyway prejudice these proceedings.”
First elected as the Conservative MP for a Kent seat in 1987, Ms Widdecombe became a prominent figure in Westminster before later serving as an MEP for the Brexit Party and then taking on a role as a spokeswoman for Reform UK.
Beyond Parliament and party politics, she was also widely known to television audiences through appearances on Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother.
