Leftist Joshua Kerry Appears in Court, Charged With Anne Widdecombe’s Murder

Joshua Kerry, a 28-year-old man from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, appeared Tuesday in Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged with the murder of longtime pro-life advocate Ann Widdecombe.

Kerry faces one count of murder in connection with the death of the 78-year-old former pro-life Conservative MP and Reform UK spokeswoman. Her body was discovered at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor, Devon, on July 9.

Police believe the attack occurred around 12:30 p.m. the previous day.

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Widdecombe, a devout Catholic, spent more than 40 years as a champion of the pro-life cause. She was elected to Parliament in 1987 and served in ministerial roles, including at the Home Office. She later represented the Brexit Party in the European Parliament before becoming a prominent voice for Reform UK.

Throughout her career, she consistently voted for greater protections for unborn children, opposed the legalization of assisted suicide, and argued against measures that would erode abortion limits, citing medical advances that allow earlier viability.

Chris Whitehouse, a trustee of Right To Life UK and a longtime friend, paid tribute to her legacy.

“For 40 years, Ann was to me a personal and family friend, a political mentor and a remarkable heroine of the pro-life cause,” Whitehouse said. “To have known her was a pleasure and a privilege, if sometimes a challenge. She was unflinching in her politics, constant in her friendships and steadfast in her defence of the principle of the right to life, both for the unborn and for those approaching the end of their lives.”

Kerry was first arrested on suspicion of murder on July 11. He was later re-arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism. Counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation.

During a search of his home, officers recovered newspaper clippings about Nigel Farage, Reform UK and the party’s immigration policies. Reports indicate the materials reflected a strong dislike of the party and its policies.

Police have stated that inquiries into the defendant’s motives are ongoing, including a potential political or terrorist connection. An inquest into Widdecombe’s death opened Tuesday at Exeter Coroner’s Court.

Senior Coroner Philip Spinney told the hearing that a post-mortem examination has taken place, but “at this stage the precise medical cause of death has yet to be established.”

Widdecombe was found unresponsive with visible injuries after concerns were raised that she was uncontactable. An employee performed a welfare check, emergency services were called, and she was declared deceased at the scene.

The coroner adjourned the inquest until the conclusion of the criminal proceedings and extended deep condolences to her family, noting that she was “much loved.”

The Crown Prosecution Service authorized the murder charge on July 20.

Chief Crown Prosecutor Frank Ferguson of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division said prosecutors had worked closely with police “to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this case to court” and would continue supporting the investigation.

Kerry appeared in court Tuesday and was remanded into custody. Police have confirmed they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the killing. The investigation remains active, with officers pursuing multiple lines of inquiry into the motive.

As a patron of Right To Life UK for many years, her strong and consistent pro-life voting record serves as an example and aspiration for younger pro-life politicians entering the world of being a publicly pro-life politician, the group told LifeNews.

During her time in politics and after, she consistently voted in favour of greater protections for unborn babies and against attempts to legalise assisted suicide. As early as 1990, in a debate on the Abortion Act 1967, she argued that abortion should not be treated as any other medical intervention and that existing protections for unborn babies should not be eroded further.

In the same year, when debating amendments to the then Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, Widdecombe insisted that unborn babies not be left out of the discussion, arguing that, due to medical advances, the abortion limit should be lowered.

In another debate in the same year, Widdecombe raised concerns that an amendment to abortion legislation, allowing the Health Secretary to designate “a class of places” as suitable for abortions, would inadvertently pave the way for at-home abortions.

However, the author of the amendment, Robert Key MP, dismissed Widdecombe’s concerns and accused the then Conservative MP of speaking from “the whip issued by the pro-life group” and misleading Parliament.

The Health Secretary at the time, Kenneth Clarke, then assured MPs that the legislation was not intended to legalise home abortions and that abortions would only be “administered only in closely regulated circumstances under the supervision of a registered medical practitioner”.

Chris Whitehouse, a Right To Life UK Trustee, said: “For 40 years, Ann was to me a personal and family friend, a political mentor and a remarkable heroine of the pro-life cause. To have known her was a pleasure and a privilege, if sometimes a challenge. She was unflinching in her politics, constant in her friendships and steadfast in her defence of the principle of the right to life, both for the unborn and for those approaching the end of their lives”.

30 years later, Ann Widdecombe’s then-dismissed concerns have become a reality in the form of pills-by-post abortion, which, as of 2023, accounts for 72% of all abortions in England and Wales.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood described the circumstances as extremely distressing. “Ann’s dedication to public service was decades long, and she was a true servant of her constituents,” Mahmood said.

She added that the Home Office stands ready to support the police investigation and urged the public to avoid speculation.

Former Conservative minister Edwina Currie, a longtime acquaintance of Widdecombe, expressed shock at the news. “A frail 78-year-old lady, and they’re looking for a white male. God help us all,” Currie wrote on social media.

Widdecombe’s management company said it was “absolutely devastated by this news following a very traumatic and upsetting 24 hours” and appealed for anyone with information to contact police.

The murder inquiry remains in its early stages, with officers continuing to gather evidence and appeal for public assistance.

First elected as a Conservative MP for Maidstone in 1987, she held her seat until leaving the Commons in 2010, during which time she held two Ministerial positions, including Minister of State at the Home Office with responsibility for prisons and immigration. She was the only prison Minister to have personally visited every prison in England and Wales.

She returned to frontline politics in 2019 as a Member of the European Parliament until January 2020.