Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleAmy-Clare MartinTuesday 21 July 2026 14:37 BSTPrison vans arrive at court as man to appear charged with murder of Ann WiddecombeJoshua Kerry, 28, has appeared in court charged with the murder of former MP Ann Widdecombe, who was allegedly struck 21 times with a hammer at her remote Devon home.Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard that Kerry is accused of entering Ms Widdecombe's bungalow in Haytor on Wednesday 8 July, asking for bank cards and ID before the alleged attack, which was partially captured by a hallway camera.Ms Widdecombe, 78, was discovered face-down on her kitchen floor the following day by a gardener, with a provisional cause of death given as "blunt force injury to the head".Evidence presented included doorbell camera footage of the suspect's car, and a hammer and black gloves with Ms Widdecombe’s DNA found in bins outside Kerry's Rotherham home, where he was arrested.Kerry has been remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey, while Counter Terrorism Policing continues to investigate whether the targeted attack was politically motivated, given Ms Widdecombe's public profile.In fullAnn Widdecombe ‘struck with hammer 21 times’, court hearsMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in