Joshua Kerry, 28, has been charged with the murder of Ann Widdecombe, who was struck 21 times on the head with a hammer at her Devon home on July 8, after initial counter-terrorism questioning.
Security camera footage showed Kerry parking outside the Haytor property, entering through the front door, and striking the 78-year-old as she sat in her kitchen during lunchtime on July 8. The attack lasted approximately two minutes before Kerry stole her wallet and fled in a red Vauxhall Corsa. A hammer and black gloves bearing Widdecombe's DNA were later recovered from bins near Kerry's Rotherham home. Authorities described the provisional cause of death as blunt force head trauma.
Kerry appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court and the Old Bailey, where he was remanded in custody. A plea hearing is scheduled for October 9, with a trial set for June 2027. Counter-terrorism officers continue to investigate a possible political or extremist motive behind the targeted killing.