‘Murdered’ Ann Widdecombe found ‘unresponsive with visible injuries’ as cause of death remains mystery, inquest told

ANN Widdecombe was found unresponsive at home with “visible injuries” after she was allegedly murdered, an inquest heard. The former Tory minister, 78, was discovered by an employee at home in Dartmoor, Devon, on July 9. Ann Widdecombe was found dead at home Credit: EPA Police later launched a murder probe Credit: Alamy Joshua Kerry, 28, has now been charged with murder after he was arrested 300 miles away in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Police are still probing whether there was a political or terrorist motive. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Exeter Coroner’s Court heard today how “concerns were raised” on July 9 after Ann’s team failed to get hold of her. An employee then went to her bungalow where they found Ann “unresponsive and with visible injuries”. A post mortem was carried out but a cause of death is yet to be established. Philip Spinney, senior coroner for Devon, adjourned the inquest until a later date. He offered his “deepest condolences” to Ann’s family during the brief hearing. The horror unfolded after Ann’s domestic assistant found the Strictly star at her bungalow in Haytor, Dartmoor, on July 9. Most read in The Sun Joshua Kerry has been charged over Ann’s death Credit: The Sun Tributes left outside the former Tory minister’s home Credit: Alamy The Reform UK spokeswoman is believed to have been bludgeoned to death in her isolated home at around 12.30pm the day before. Her final interview was recorded just minutes before she is believed to have been killed. Police did not announce that they had started a murder investigation until the afternoon of July 10. A 26-year-old man initially arrested on suspicion of murder was released with no further action. Officers then arrested Kerry on suspicion of murder before he was re-arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism. Ann had done a final interview before she was killed Credit: TalkTV/ X An assistant is understood to have found her dead Credit: PA The suspect “was not known” to the Prevent programme, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood previously said. Officers are investigating “any wider activity” that he may have been involved in and say the motivation behind the horror remains an “active avenue”. Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, the national head of counterterrorism, confirmed police are not looking for anybody else in connection with Ann’s death. He said: “I want to make it very clear that our investigation into this individual, determining his motivations and any wider activity he may have been involved in, is continuing. “Given Ann Widdecombe’s profile and the targeted nature of the attack, determining the motivation, including any possible political motivation, remains an active avenue of investigation for our detectives. “As with all murder investigations, understanding the ‘why’ is a key part of our inquiries. This has been and remains a particularly intensive and complex investigation.” Taylor said counter terrorism teams have gathered “a huge amount of information” over the last week – leading to more than 800 lines of enquiry. The investigation has been led by Counter Terrorism Policing South East, supported by Devon and Cornwall Police. Ann was a Tory MP between 1987 and 2010 for the Kent constituency of Maidstone, later Maidstone & The Weald. She also held several ministerial positions in Sir John Major’s government. Ann later switched allegiance to the Brexit Party and then Reform UK.