The man suspected of murdering former MP Ann Widdecombe has been named as former lift company worker Joshua Kerry.
The 28-year-old has been charged with murdering the Reform UK spokeswoman, 78, after almost a week of questioning.
Mr Kerry was first arrested at his terraced home in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, at 9pm on Saturday 11 July.
He is suspected of driving almost 300 miles to carry out the attack on Ms Widdecombe, who sustained serious injuries in her remote home in Haytor, Devon, at around 12.30pm on Wednesday 8 July. She was found dead the following day.
Announcing the charges on Monday, Frank Ferguson, chief crown prosecutor of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division said: “We have decided to prosecute Joshua Kerry for murder following a police investigation into the death of Ann Widdecombe in Haytor, Dartmoor.
“Police enquiries into the defendant’s motives are ongoing, including a potential political or terrorist connection.
“Our prosecutors have worked closely with the police to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this case to court, and we will continue working with them as their investigation progresses.
“We remind all concerned that proceedings against the defendant are active and he has the right to a fair trial.
“It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information which could in anyway prejudice these proceedings.”
The defendant is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
Mr Kerry, who used to work for a lift company, lived with his dog in the housing estate in the Kimberworth area of the city, according to reports. Neighbours claimed they had rarely seen him in public since the death of his father last December.
His mother, a former teaching assistant, is believed to have moved away. His two brothers are also understood to have left the area, with one joining the navy.
Mr Kerry’s uncle described his nephew as a “gentle giant” who is “polite” and “very shy”.
“Never in a million years” did he think his nephew would be linked to her death, adding he was “in total shock” when he found out he had been arrested, he told The Telegraph.
He also paid tribute to Ms Widdecombe, who he said was “forthright, strident, and principled”.
The home secretary has said the suspect was not previously known to Prevent, the government’s anti-terror scheme.
Counter Terrorism Policing head Laurence Taylor said Ms Widdecombe’s death was a “targeted attack”, and confirmed that whether the suspect was targeting Reform UK figures will be a “line of investigation”.
The firebrand politician was first elected a Conservative MP in Kent in 1987. She went on to serve as an MEP for the Brexit Party and later spokesperson for Reform UK in her long political career.
She retired from politics initially at the 2010 general election, returning as a candidate for the Brexit party in the European parliament nine years later in 2019.
In the intervening years, she found fame outside of politics after starring in reality shows Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother. She also starred in several pantomime productions and the ITV series ‘Ann Widdecombe Versus’.
