Ann Widdecombe was hit on head repeatedly with hammer, court told

Joshua Kerry appears at Westminster magistrates court charged with murder of former MP earlier this month A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of the former MP and Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe. Joshua Kerry, 28, is accused of killing the 78-year-old former Conservative minister at her home in Haytor, Devon, earlier this month, by hitting her on the head with a hammer 21 times. During a brief hearing at Westminster magistrates court on Tuesday afternoon, Kerry, who was dressed in a grey sweatshirt and tracksuit bottoms, spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address. The court heard that security camera footage from the property indicated Widdecombe had been fatally attacked on 8 July. Kerry is alleged to have entered her bungalow through the front door while she was eating her lunch, after driving there from his home in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. The prosecutor, Kashif Malik, claimed Kerry was in the house for about two minutes before driving off, having allegedly taken Widdecombe’s wallet from her handbag. Malik said the alarm was raised after Widdecombe failed to attend a pre-arranged online interview for Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show, shortl