The opening of an inquest into the death of former MP and MEP Ann Widdecombe has heard that her precise medical cause of death is yet to be established. The 78-year-old was found unresponsive at her home in Haytor, Devon, on 9 July after an employee, unable to contact her, conducted a welfare check. Emergency services were called to the scene, but she was pronounced dead at 12:20 BST.
Exeter Corner's Court was informed that Ms. Widdecombe had sustained visible injuries. Senior coroner Philip Spinney confirmed that a post-mortem examination has been completed, though the exact cause of death remains under investigation. Mr. Spinney has adjourned the inquest until the conclusion of ongoing criminal proceedings.
Joshua Kerry, 28, of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, has appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court charged with her murder. Mr. Kerry was initially arrested on suspicion of murder two days after Ms. Widdecombe was discovered. He was subsequently re-arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation, or instigation of acts of terrorism. The investigation is currently being led by Counter Terrorism Policing South East, with support from Devon and Cornwall Police.
Ms. Widdecombe enjoyed a long and varied career in public life. She served as the Conservative MP for Maidstone, Kent, for 23 years, during which she held ministerial positions in Sir John Major’s government throughout the 1990s. Following her time in the Commons, she gained further public recognition through appearances on television programs. In her later political career, she represented South West England as a Member of the European Parliament for the Brexit Party, and in 2023, she became a spokeswoman for Reform UK.
