Former UK minister killed in hammer attack at Devon home: suspect appears in court
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10 days · 5 summary articles
Ann Widdecombe, a former British government minister, was struck 21 times on the head with a hammer during an attack at her home in Devon, southwest England, prosecutors told a London court on Tuesday.
Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home on July 9 after being attacked the day before. The man accused of her murder, Joshua Kerry, 28, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on Tuesday.
According to prosecutor Kashif Malik, Kerry entered Widdecombe's home in the village of Haytor Vale on July 8 and struck her repeatedly on the head with a hammer while she was eating lunch. The entire attack lasted about two minutes, during which Kerry also took Widdecombe's wallet before leaving the scene.
The attack was captured on camera, and the footage was presented in court. Malik described the scene, saying that Kerry entered through the front door and asked Widdecombe if she had a bank card and ID. Kerry was wearing black gloves and had the hammer hidden by his side before he started the attack.
Widdecombe was a prominent figure in British politics, serving as a Conservative MP from 1987 to 2010 and later joining Nigel Farage's populist Reform UK party. She was known for her conservative views and had served as a prisons minister in the 1990s.
The motive for the attack is still under investigation. Initially, police stated that there was no political motive, but counterterrorism police took over the investigation on July 13. The police are looking into a possible political or terrorist connection.
Kerry was arrested on July 11 in South Yorkshire, more than 400 kilometers from Widdecombe's home. He was initially detained on suspicion of murder but was later re-arrested on suspicion of terrorism offenses. During a search of his home, police found items belonging to Widdecombe, including black gloves and a hammer, in the trash bins outside his property.
Widdecombe's death has shocked the British political community. She is the third MP to be killed in recent years, following the deaths of Sir David Amess and Jo Cox.
Kerry was remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear at the Old Bailey criminal court on October 9. A provisional trial date has been set for June 8, 2027.
The investigation into Widdecombe's murder is ongoing, with police continuing to explore all possible motives for the attack.
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bluesky_The Times · about 4 hours ago
Ann Widdecombe was struck 21 times on head with a hammer
bluesky_The Times · about 4 hours ago
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cyprus mail · about 4 hours ago
Ex-porta-voz de Farage morreu com 21 marteladas na cabeça Principal suspeito da morte infligiu 21 marteladas na cabeça de Ann Widdecombe e roubou a sua carteira antes de fugir. Corpo da antiga deputada apenas foi encontrado cerca de 24 horas depois do crime.
observador · about 4 hours ago
Britisk politiker blev dræbt af 21 slag med hammer
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Brutálny útok na Ann Widdecombeovú. Brit ju mal 21-krát udrieť kladivom do hlavy pri obede Brita obvineného z vraždy Ann Widdecombeovej viní prokuratúra z brutálneho útoku kladivom. Kamera zachytila rýchly čin aj lúpež peňaženky z kabelky.
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Reform-politiker slått 21 ganger med hammer i England Mannen som er siktet for å ha drept politikeren Ann Widdecombe i England, slo henne 21 ganger i hodet med hammer, ifølge…
aftenposten · about 4 hours ago
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elmundo · about 4 hours ago
UK politician Ann Widdecombe was struck 21 times with a hammer, court hears
news.yahoo.com · about 4 hours ago
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hvg.hu · about 4 hours ago
Brittisk politiker dödades med 21 hammarslag
svenska dagbladet · about 4 hours ago
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svenska dagbladet · about 4 hours ago
Ann Widdecombe slogs ihjäl med 21 hammarslag Den brittiska ex-ministern Ann Widdecombe dog efter att ha blivit slagen i huvudet 21 gånger med en hammare. En 28-årig man misstänks ha kört över 43 mil för att mörda henne.
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thejournal · about 4 hours ago
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new york times · about 4 hours ago
NEW - Prosecutor says suspect, Joshua Kerry, hit 78yr old, Ann Widdecombe, 21 times on her head with a hammer, as she was eating lunch, then tipped her from the chair, stole her wallet and drove off, all within approx 2 minutes. @disclosetv
telegram_Disclose.tv · about 4 hours ago
Η Αν Γουίντεκομπ φαίνεται να χτυπήθηκε 21 φορές στο κεφάλι με σφυρί σύμφωνα με τους εισαγγελείς
protothema · about 4 hours ago
Exministern åt lunch – slogs ihjäl med hammare Den brittiska högerpolitikern Ann Widdecombe mördades med en hammare. Hon slogs ihjäl med 21 slag när hon åt sin lunch, uppger åklagaren.
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nu.nl · about 4 hours ago
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cphpost · about 4 hours ago
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