An inquest into the death of former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe is scheduled to open at County Hall in Exeter at 10am on Tuesday. The hearing comes as counter-terror police lead the murder investigation, with a 28-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder and terrorism offences.
Discovery and Initial Investigation
Devon and Cornwall Police were called to Miss Widdecombe's home in Haytor Vale, Dartmoor, at around 11.40am on Thursday, July 9, where they found her dead with serious head injuries. Police believe she was attacked nearly 24 hours before her body was discovered, around 12.30pm on Wednesday, July 8. Her death was announced on Friday morning, and a murder investigation was launched that afternoon.
In a statement, her management team said: "We know this news will come as a great shock to the many colleagues and friends she made along the way." They later said they were "absolutely devastated" by the investigation after a "very traumatic and upsetting 24 hours."
Arrest and Counter-Terrorism Involvement
A 28-year-old white British man was arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday, July 11, 270 miles away in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Footage shows armed police storming a terraced property and arresting the suspect without a struggle. Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) later took over the investigation, stating: "New information and evidence have come to light during what has been a dynamic and complex investigation and as a result, Counter Terrorism Policing South East is now leading the investigation."
The suspect has been re-arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism. A warrant of further detention allows him to be held for questioning for up to seven days under the Terrorism Act, with potential extensions up to 14 days. The initial seven-day period expires on Monday evening.
Suspect Background and Family Reaction
The suspect's family expressed "total shock" at his arrest, describing him as a "polite, shy, gentle giant" with "no red flags at all." Speaking to the BBC, his uncle said: "My legs went like jelly. He's the last person I would think would do anything like that." Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood confirmed the man was not known to the Government's Prevent anti-terror scheme.
Police are investigating whether the suspect was motivated by left-wing extremism and whether he was targeting Reform UK figures. Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor confirmed that Miss Widdecombe's death was a "targeted attack" and that the question of whether a TV appearance motivated the killing is a "line of inquiry."
Timeline and Evidence
Miss Widdecombe's final texts show she was communicating with a Channel 5 producer about appearing on the Matt Allwright show at 1pm on Wednesday. Her last message was sent at 12.19pm. She did not respond to a Zoom link sent at 12.48pm and failed to answer further calls. She had given a final interview to a Christian radio station minutes before the suspected attack.
A "mystery car," a dark VW Golf Mk4, was seen near her home around the time of the attack. The manager of a local garage reported the car parked in a "strange place" at approximately 9am on Wednesday, with a man in his late 20s or early 30s wearing shorts and a T-shirt doing up his walking boots. CCTV footage obtained by The Sun appears to show the suspect with a wooden stick in his shorts pocket, recorded four and a half hours before the attack and 267 miles away.
Political Career and Public Life
Ann Widdecombe, born in Bath in 1947, served as Conservative MP for Maidstone and The Weald for 23 years. She held ministerial roles as Minister of State for Employment (1994-1995) and Minister of State for Prisons (1995-1997) under John Major. After politics, she appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010 and Celebrity Big Brother in 2018. A supporter of Brexit, she became a Brexit Party MEP for South West England from 2019 to 2020 and later a Reform UK spokeswoman for immigration and justice from 2023.
