Former MP Widdecombe Hit 21 Times With Hammer

Former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe was struck 21 times on the head with a hammer while eating lunch at her Devon home, prosecutors told Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, as the man accused of her murder made his first court appearances.

Prosecutor Kashif Malik said Joshua Kerry arrived at Widdecombe's home in Haytor, Devon, in a red Vauxhall Corsa on 8 July and entered through the front door. Wearing black gloves, Kerry allegedly remained inside for about two minutes before repeatedly attacking the former MP with a hammer in her kitchen.

Attack captured on home security footage

The court heard that Widdecombe was knocked from her chair during the assault. Prosecutors allege Kerry then stole her wallet before leaving the property in his car.

Security camera footage from the house is said to have captured the fatal attack.

Sketch courtesy of Julia Quenzler/BBC

Investigation continues

Malik told the court that Widdecombe failed to attend a scheduled online interview with Channel 5's Matt Allwright programme shortly before 13:00 BST on 8 July.

After attempts to contact her through her personal assistant were unsuccessful, the assistant asked Widdecombe's gardener to check on her welfare, the court heard.

Police are continuing to investigate whether the attack had a political or terrorist motive. The case is being led by counter-terrorism detectives.

Kerry, 28, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, was charged with one count of murder on Monday night. He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court, where he spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address. He was not asked to enter a plea.

Old Bailey hearing

Later on Tuesday, Kerry also appeared before the Old Bailey, where prosecutor Alistair Richardson described the killing as having been carried out with a "ferocity of violence".

The defendant was remanded in custody and is expected to be held at HMP Belmarsh in south-east London.

He is due to return to the Old Bailey on 9 October for a case management hearing. A provisional trial date has been set for 8 June 2027.

The court heard that a pathologist's provisional cause of death was blunt force injury to the head.

At an earlier inquest hearing, which was opened and adjourned on Tuesday, officials heard that emergency services were called on the day Widdecombe's body was discovered. She was pronounced dead at 12:20.

Although a post-mortem examination has been completed, the hearing was told that the precise medical cause of death has yet to be formally established.

Political career

Widdecombe served as the Conservative MP for Maidstone in Kent for 23 years and held ministerial posts in Sir John Major's government during the 1990s.

After leaving the House of Commons, she became a familiar television personality, appearing on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing in 2010 and finishing as runner-up on Celebrity Big Brother in 2018.

She later represented South West England as a Member of the European Parliament for the Brexit Party before joining Reform UK as a party spokeswoman in 2023.

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22 July 2026