Ann Widdecombe died after she was hit on the head with a hammer 21 times at her home in Devon, a court has been told.
Former Tory MP Ms Widdecombe was found by her gardener lying face down on her kitchen floor with a serious head injury on July 8, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Kashif Malik told how Miss Widdecombe did not attend a pre-arranged online interview scheduled for just before 1pm, which would have been aired live on Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show.
The show’s production team tried to contact the Reform UK spokeswoman through her personal assistant, who then asked the gardener to check on her.
A 28-year-old man appeared in the dock at the court in central London charged with her murder.
Joshua Kerry, of Byrley Road, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, wore a grey tracksuit as he was accompanied by an officer in the court.
Kerry was first arrested on suspicion of murder on July 11, two days after 78-year-old Miss Widdecombe was found dead at her remote bungalow in Haytor on Dartmoor in Devon, with serious injuries.
Kerry was later further arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, but he has not been charged with this offence.
During a brief hearing at Exeter Coroner’s Court, also on Tuesday, senior coroner Philip Spinney said: “Ann Noreen Widdecombe died at Widdecombe’s Rest, Haytor Vale, Haytor, Newton Abbott, Devon, on 9th July 2026 at 12.20
“The circumstances of death are as follows.
“Concerns were raised that Miss Widdecombe was uncontactable so an employee who was due at her home address was asked to carry out a welfare check.
“Miss Widdecombe was located within her property.
“She was found to be unresponsive with visible injuries.
“The emergency services were called and she was sadly declared deceased at the scene.”
Mr Spinney added: “The inquest is now adjourned and in light of the information a 28-year-old gentleman is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today charged with Miss Widdecombe’s murder.”
The coroner added he wished to offer his “deep condolences” to the family of Miss Widdecombe.
At his final Prime Minister’s Questions last week, Sir Keir Starmer and other political leaders paid tribute to Miss Widdecombe, a former Conservative prisons minister, who later joined Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
Her home is situated on Dartmoor near the popular tourist attraction of Haytor and not for from the village of Widdecombe in the Moor.
Her death has sparked new calls to increase security for MPs.
