Man accused of Ann Widdecombe murder charged with preparing terror acts
Joshua Kerry, 28, has been charged with preparing acts of terrorism, including activity allegedly directed at Nigel Farage, UK counter-terrorism police said. Kerry is also accused of murdering former Conservative minister Ann Widdecombe, who died after being struck with a hammer at her Devon home.
A 28-year-old man accused of murdering former Conservative minister Ann Widdecombe has been charged with preparing acts of terrorism, UK counter-terrorism police said. Joshua Kerry, of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, was charged by the Crown Prosecution Service on Friday with one count of preparation of terrorist acts. Police said the alleged activity took place between May 31, 2024, and July 8 this year.
The charge includes activity alleged to have been directed against Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK. Kerry is also accused of murdering Widdecombe, a spokesperson for the party and a former Conservative minister. Widdecombe, 78, died in July after being struck on the head with a hammer 21 times at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor, Devon, a court previously heard.
Her gardener found her face down on the kitchen floor on July 9, and emergency services declared her dead shortly afterwards. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, said investigators had conducted an intensive and complex inquiry involving detectives, analysts and forensic experts. Police said Kerry was due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
During an earlier hearing in July, he confirmed his name, date of birth and address but was not asked to enter a plea. The terrorism charge is separate from the murder allegation, although both form part of the investigation involving Kerry. The source material did not state whether the prosecution had provided further details of the alleged terrorist preparations.
No conviction has been recorded in either case, and proceedings remain ongoing.
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