CPS charges man with murder following death of Ann Widdecombe
The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to prosecute Joshua Kerry for murder following the death of Ann Widdecombe.
Kerry, 28, from Rotherham, will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 21 July 2026.
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.”
Notes to editors
- Joshua Kerry (21/04/1998) of Byrley Road in Rotherham has been charged with one count of murder.
- The CPS’s Counter Terrorism Division authorised police to charge Kerry following an investigation overseen by Counter Terrorism Police after an initial investigation by Devon and Cornwall Police.
- The function of the CPS is not to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for a criminal court to consider.
- The CPS assessment of any case is not in any sense a finding of, or implication of, any guilt or criminal conduct. It is not a finding of fact, which can only be made by a court, but rather an assessment of what it might be possible to prove to a court, in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.