A man, aged 28, has made an appearance in court facing charges for the murder of former government minister Ann Widdecombe. Joshua Kerry, hailing from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, was presented before Westminster Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning. The accusation revolves around the attack on the ex-Tory MP, who later became a Reform spokesperson, at her residence in Devon. Widdecombe, aged 78, was tragically found with head injuries in her isolated bungalow on the outskirts of Dartmoor National Park two weeks ago.

Following the incident, armed officers apprehended Kerry at his residence three days later on July 11 on suspicion of murder. The fatal event occurred on July 8, just half an hour before Widdecombe was scheduled to make a virtual appearance on Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show. She had last communicated with a producer at 12:19 pm but did not respond to a message at 12:48 pm.

Kerry, who had been unemployed since working as an office administrator until two years ago, was the subject of the investigation. The cause of Widdecombe’s demise is pending further investigation, as the commencement of an inquest at Exeter Coroner’s Court indicated today.

Philip Spinney, the senior coroner for Devon, Plymouth, and Torbay, disclosed that Widdecombe was discovered unresponsive in her home by an employee conducting a welfare check due to concerns about her unavailability. Spinney stated that a post-mortem examination had been conducted, but the exact medical cause of death remained undetermined at this stage.

In a separate development, Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged for a thorough examination of MPs’ safety protocols in light of Widdecombe’s tragic death. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood paid tribute to Widdecombe, highlighting her dedication to politics and public service, spanning nearly four decades. Widdecombe, known for her strong convictions and unique style in politics, had a notable career as a Conservative MP, MEP for the Brexit Party, and spokesperson for Reform UK. She also made appearances on popular TV shows like Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother.