Ann Widdecombe died after sustaining multiple blows to the head with a hammer at her remote bungalow on Dartmoor, a court was told on Tuesday. The allegation that she was struck 21 times emerged during a brief hearing held in central London after her body was found at her home in Haytor Vale, near Newton Abbot.
Police welfare check led to discovery
The prosecution outlined how Miss Widdecombe did not attend a pre-arranged online interview scheduled for shortly before 1pm on the day she died. Production staff for Channel 5's planned programme asked her personal assistant to make contact; the assistant in turn asked a gardener to check on her at the property. Emergency services were called after she was located unresponsive by the employee and was subsequently declared dead at the scene.
“Ann Noreen Widdecombe died at Widdecombe’s Rest, Haytor Vale, Haytor, Newton Abbot, Devon, on 9th July 2026 at 12.20,”
The words above were read by senior coroner Philip Spinney at a short sitting of Exeter Coroner’s Court, where the inquest into Miss Widdecombe’s death was opened and immediately adjourned.
Man charged and due to appear
A 28-year-old man, named in court as Joshua Kerry of Byrley Road, Rotherham, has been charged with the murder. He was arrested on 11 July, two days after Miss Widdecombe was found. At the central London hearing he appeared in the dock wearing a grey tracksuit and was accompanied by an officer.
Police later conducted a further arrest of Mr Kerry on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism; this additional arrest has not resulted in a charge, according to court reporting.
- Victim: Ann Noreen Widdecombe
- Date and time recorded: 9 July 2026 at 12.20
- Location: Widdecombe's Rest, Haytor Vale, Haytor, Newton Abbot, Devon
- Suspect: Joshua Kerry, 28, of Rotherham (charged with murder)
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 9 July 2026 | Miss Widdecombe found unresponsive at home; declared deceased at scene |
| 11 July 2026 | Joshua Kerry arrested on suspicion of murder |
| Date of hearing (reported) | Brief hearing in central London; Kerry appeared and inquest opened at Exeter |
Local impact and next steps
The coroner expressed his condolences to the family and adjourned the inquest pending the outcome of criminal proceedings. Court reports note police presence at the property on Dartmoor during the initial inquiries.
The death of a well-known public figure in a rural community has prompted strong interest locally and nationally. As the criminal case progresses through Westminster Magistrates’ Court, the inquest will remain on hold, as is standard where a suspect has been charged.
Further hearings will determine the course of both the criminal trial and the coroner's inquiry. Residents with information are likely to be asked to assist police inquiries; no new local policing instructions were issued during the brief hearings reported on Tuesday.
This office will update readers as further official information is released by the courts or the investigation team.
