Counter terror police have been showing photographs of their shaven-headed prime suspect in the murder of Ann Widdecombe during house-to-house enquiries around his childhood home. The custody photograph of the 28-year-old suspect showed that he appeared to have shaved his head prior to being arrested in a police raid in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Neighbours Describe Suspect as a 'Loner'
Residents on the council estate in Rotherham were spoken to by a team of four plain-clothed detectives – understood to be Counter Terror Officers based with West Yorkshire Police – who spent Wednesday conducting house-to-house enquiries as they tried to build up a picture of the mysterious 'loner' who was arrested on suspicion of the murder of former MP Ann, 78, at her remote Devon home last Wednesday.
One of the first neighbours to be quizzed, Kingsley Whybrow, 29, said: 'They said they were from West Yorkshire Police and were trying to get some information about the man. They asked me if I knew him and if I had seen him at all recently. They then showed me a photograph – it was him but he had shaved all his hair off. He had a skinhead.'
Suspect's Appearance Changed Before Arrest
Grainy CCTV footage of the suspect leaving his home before Ms Widdecombe was murdered appeared to show him sporting fuller length hair. But his custody shot appeared to show he had given himself a 'buzz cut'. Another neighbour revealed that the arrested man would frequently grow his hair long and then cut it short.
Claire, 51, added: 'They have been taking everything out of the house – I think it’s been completely cleared out of what was inside. They took bolt cutters in and also collapsible ladders – which they used to get into the loft.'
Police Search Home for Evidence
Detectives are believed to have found a number of items of varying political ideology, including Russian communist literature, during searches of the suspect's terraced council home. Officers are keeping an open mind as new material emerges.
Claire added: 'He lived with his father. His dad had his leg amputated last year and we would see him learning to walk outside his home – but we never saw his son. His dad died around six months ago, and I don’t think we saw his son after that.' Kingsley added: 'Although we are a similar age I never saw him – I thought the house was abandoned after his dad’s death to be honest.'
Planning and Preparation Established
The suspect continued to be quizzed after Head of Counter Terrorism Policing Laurence Taylor confirmed that the 'targeted' murder of the former Tory minister had been some time in the planning. Assistant Commissioner Taylor said inquiries had established 'some preparation and planning' before Ms Widdecombe’s suspected killer allegedly travelled 270 miles from his home in Rotherham to Dartmoor.
Detectives are looking closely at the former MP's TV and radio appearances in the days beforehand, including at 8am on the day of the murder when she defended Reform's leader Nigel Farage. Ms Widdecombe was last seen alive when she chatted to a Christian radio station some 20 minutes before police believe she was killed at around 12.30pm on Wednesday. The interview was set to be broadcast at a later date.
Motivation Under Investigation
Mr Taylor said that the question of whether a TV appearance might have motivated her killing is a 'line of inquiry', given her forthright views including opposition to the likes of abortion, gay rights and immigration. The suspect is not thought to have known the victim, but her home had featured on a TV programme less than a week earlier which police believe may have provided vital clues about the location of her remote address.
CCTV footage indicates the suspect left his home around 7am on Wednesday. Later that morning he is believed to have stopped at a petrol station not far from Exeter. Mr Taylor said: 'It is clear that this was a targeted attack. We are still working to understand the extent of any planning or preparation, and the motivation that sits behind that attack.' He added: 'We are aware that there has been some preparation and planning. I don't want to go into the details of the extent of that at this stage.'
Suspect Held Under Terrorism Act
Officers have been granted a warrant of further detention meaning the suspect can now be held for up to 14 days. He has been arrested on suspicion of murder and the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism. Investigators are probing a theory that a self-radicalised loner may have considered Ms Widdecombe an 'easy target' in comparison to more prominent party figures, such as Mr Farage, who have security. Her home address was readily available on the internet and she had rebuffed suggestions of installing a security gate.
