A 28-year-old man named as Joshua Kerry has been charged with the murder of Ann Widdecombe, the Crown Prosecution Service has said.
Kerry, from Rotherham in South Yorkshire, is set to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
Police enquiries into the defendant’s motives are ongoing, including a potential political or terrorist connection, the CPS said in a statement.
Widdecombe, 78, a former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman, was found dead on Thursday 9 July at her home in Haytor, Devon, having sustained serious injuries.
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.”
“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,” he said.
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