Joshua Kerry, the 28-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murdering former Conservative minister Ann Widdecombe, has been pictured. Kerry is suspected of killing the 78-year-old Reform UK spokeswoman in her Devon bungalow on July 8 in what police describe as a "targeted" attack.
Arrest and Detention
Kerry was arrested last Saturday night at his council house in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. He is being detained on suspicion of commission, preparation, or instigation of acts of terrorism, and suspicion of murder. He remains in custody and can be held for questioning until Tuesday, when police can decide to apply for an extension, according to the Mirror.
Counter-terrorism police have now taken control of the case following new evidence, but a senior officer emphasised that the murder and terror investigations are currently running "in parallel."
Image of Suspect
In a photo from 2022, Kerry is seen smiling for the camera while holding a jar of Easter eggs, wearing glasses, jeans, and a green shirt.
Final Moments
Ann Widdecombe was killed in her home half an hour before she was due to appear via video call on Channel 5's Matt Allwright show. A heartbreaking exchange between the former Celebrity Big Brother contestant and a TV producer shows she did not respond to multiple phone calls a day before the murder. The exchange, shared via X by GB News, captures her final ordinary moments.
Just after appearing on TalkTV earlier that day, Widdecombe was coordinating a 1pm Zoom interview for Channel 5. The researcher apologised for a mix-up over a previous refusal of an appearance slot. Widdecombe responded warmly, joking about "old age" and confirming her usual email address. Her final known message at 12:19pm read: "Received! Panic over!!"
Minutes later, at 12:48pm, the producer messaged again urging her to join the Zoom link. No reply came. Multiple follow-up voice calls went unanswered between 12:53pm and 1:14pm. Police believe Widdecombe was attacked around 12:30pm, meaning she had just 11 minutes of life left after her last text. She was found dead in the kitchen at her Dartmoor bungalow at 11:40am the next day.
Political Background
Widdecombe was first elected as a Conservative MP in Kent in 1987, then served as an MEP for the Brexit Party and spokeswoman for Reform UK. Counter-terrorism police are investigating whether the suspect was driven by left-wing extremism and plotting additional violence against other prominent figures. Detectives revealed that one line of inquiry is whether the suspect was targeting Reform UK personalities.
