Key facts
- A private funeral service for Ann Widdecombe will be held in the coming weeks.
- A public memorial will be held later in the year.
- Ann Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home with serious head injuries.
- Joshua Kerry, 28, has been charged with her murder.
A private funeral service for Ann Widdecombe will be held in the coming weeks, her family has announced, with a public memorial to follow later in the year. The 78-year-old Reform UK spokeswoman and former Conservative minister was found dead at her home in Haytor, Devon, on July 9 with serious head injuries.
Joshua Kerry, 28, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, has been charged with her murder and appeared in court. Prosecutors allege that Kerry used a hammer to strike Widdecombe 21 times on the head. A provisional cause of death was given as blunt force trauma to the head.
Detectives are investigating any potential political or terrorist motivation behind the killing. Widdecombe's political career spanned decades, serving as a Conservative MP for Maidstone and later as a Member of the European Parliament for the Brexit Party. She also gained public recognition for her appearances on "Strictly Come Dancing" and "Celebrity Big Brother."