Ann Widdecombe, the ex-British parliamentarian found deceased at her residence in southwestern England in early July, suffered 21 blows to the head from a hammer, as revealed in a London court on Tuesday.
Joshua Kerry, aged 28, is accused of entering Widdecombe’s home in the Haytor Vale area on July 8, according to Prosecutor Kashif Malik’s statements to Westminster Magistrates’ Court, reported by UK news agency PA Media.
He purportedly walked into the kitchen of the 78-year-old former politician while she was having lunch and attacked her head with a hammer multiple times, the court was informed.
The duration of his presence in her home was merely two minutes, as presented in court.
The initial cause of death for Widdecombe was identified in court as “blunt force trauma to the head.”
Kerry subsequently appeared at the Old Bailey criminal court in London, where he was refused bail and remanded into custody. A hearing to manage the case is set for October 9, with a tentative trial date scheduled for June 8, 2027.
On July 13, British counterterrorism authorities took control of the inquiry into Widdecombe’s death, after initial reports indicated there was no evidence to classify it as a terrorist act.
Her passing occurs amidst a rise in violence and an increased threat facing politicians in the UK. Widdecombe is the third MP to have been murdered in recent years, following the killings of Sir David Amess and Jo Cox.
