Police investigating the murder of former MP Ann Widdecombe have revealed that CCTV footage shows a suspect with a wooden stick before her death. The 78-year-old was found dead at her home in Dartmoor on Thursday morning after sustaining serious injuries.
Arrest in Rotherham, 200 Miles from Crime Scene
A 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, more than 200 miles from the Devon crime scene. Officers conducted extensive searches at a property on Byrley Road, removing a red car from the driveway in the early hours of Sunday. Forensics teams examined the scene.
CCTV footage reportedly shows a man placing a wooden stick into a red car outside an address linked to the suspect on Wednesday morning, the day before Widdecombe's body was discovered.
Neighbour Recalls Police Presence
One neighbour said: "It all happened just before the [England] match. When we came home from watching it there were just two plain police cars there but everyone says there were loads more here before that."
Police Rule Out Political or Terrorist Motive
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman provided an update on the apparent motive, confirming there is no evidence the murder was politically motivated or terrorism-related. He urged the public not to engage with online speculation, saying it was "distressing to the family and friends of Miss Widdecombe."
Widdecombe served as a Conservative MP from 1987 and later became a Reform UK spokeswoman. She also appeared on Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother.
