Devon and Cornwall Police have released a new statement in the investigation into the murder of former MP Ann Widdecombe, confirming they will not release descriptions of suspects or any CCTV footage at this time. The 78-year-old was found dead at her home in Haytor, Dartmoor, on Thursday after sustaining serious injuries, nearly 24 hours after the attack.
Suspect Released Without Charge
A 26-year-old white British man arrested at an address in Newton Abbot has been released without charge, police confirmed. Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said the decision not to disclose further details is made on an "operational basis" and that the force will release information to the public when it is "appropriate and necessary."
Police Statement
In a statement released on Saturday evening, ACC Longman said: "I want to start with expressing my thanks to the local community and to the people who have come forward so far with their information. We have been working at pace on this investigation. Officers are making progress and are pursuing a number of lines of inquiry. At this time, we have made the active decision not to release further information, including descriptions of any potential suspects or releasing CCTV footage. Releasing such information prematurely could compromise ongoing inquiries and may prejudice future investigative opportunities."
He added: "I would ask the public again, please do not to speculate on social media. If you have any relevant information and have not yet reported, please do so via the major incident public portal. Our thoughts remain with Ann Widdecombe’s family and friends at this sad time. They continue to be supported by specialist officers."
Background on Ann Widdecombe
Ann Widdecombe was first elected as a Conservative MP in Kent in 1987 and served as a prisons minister. She later became a Member of the European Parliament for the Brexit Party and a spokeswoman for Reform UK. She also gained fame outside politics after appearing on Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother.
Nigel Farage Pays Tribute
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage visited the village of Haytor on Saturday to pay tribute. Speaking to reporters, he said his party had reviewed its emails for patterns of abuse directed at Widdecombe but found nothing. In a social media statement, Farage described her death and the subsequent murder investigation as a "terrible reflection on modern Britain." In a video, he added: "And I do fear that for anybody in public life, or especially the political space, things have become even more dangerous today."
Widdecombe's Final Appearances
Widdecombe appeared on TalkTV on Wednesday morning, the day before her body was found. She was also due to be a guest on Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show on Wednesday afternoon but did not appear, as first reported by ITV. She had exchanged messages with a researcher but did not respond when they tried to contact her to join a Zoom call. Calls and texts sent after the programme aired remained unanswered, and the team followed up with her agent later on Wednesday and Thursday.
