A man placed a “wooden stick” in a car outside an address linked to the suspect in Ann Widdecombe’s murder before driving off on the morning she is believed to have been attacked, according to reports.
Background of the Incident
Ann Widdecombe, 78, a former Conservative minister and ex-Reform UK spokeswoman, was found dead at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor at about 11:40 a.m. on Thursday, July 9, after sustaining serious injuries. Devon and Cornwall Police arrested a 28-year-old white British man on suspicion of murder in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on Saturday evening.
CCTV Evidence
CCTV footage obtained by The Telegraph appears to show a man leaving an address linked to the suspect at around 7 a.m. on Wednesday, the day Widdecombe is believed to have been attacked. The man was seen putting “some kind of wooden stick” into the passenger side of a red car before driving off.
Police Activity in Rotherham
On Sunday, there was a substantial police presence at a house in Byrley Road in the Kimberworth Park area of Rotherham, more than 200 miles from Widdecombe’s home. Neighbours told the Press Association that police arrived just before the kick-off of the England World Cup match on Saturday night. Officers took a red car from the driveway at about 3 a.m. A South Yorkshire Police Tactical Support Group van and at least two other marked vehicles were parked outside the house on Sunday evening, with forensics officers in white overalls entering and exiting the property.
Neighbour Reactions
One neighbour said: “It all happened just before the 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.” A woman added: “Nothing happens on this street. We’ve been here 12 years and nothing has ever happened.” She noted that the man living in the house had been there alone after the rest of his family moved out. “We’ve never even seen him. We don’t really know him. I don’t think anybody knows him. It’s so strange,” she said.
Police Statements
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: “At this point, there is still no information to suggest that this is a terrorism-related incident and at this point we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this murder. At this stage, there is nothing to suggest that it was politically motivated.” He added that detectives “remain open-minded about the potential motive” and stressed there is no believed threat to the wider public. He urged the public not to engage with online speculation, calling it “unhelpful” and “distressing to the family and friends of Miss Widdecombe.”
Chief Constable James Vaughan, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said the force had “mounted an extraordinary response to a horrific murder of a very prominent public figure.” He added: “The operation has been running at a lightning pace for 48 hours. I am really pleased that we have a suspect firmly in custody and that will undergo some further work from us today. Well done to all – this is clearly British policing at its very best.”
Widdecombe’s Legacy
Ann Widdecombe was first elected as a Conservative MP in Kent in 1987. She later served as an MEP for the Brexit Party and as a spokeswoman for Reform UK. She also gained fame outside politics through appearances on Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother.
