Ann Widdecombe police investigate whether accused had role in Farage incident

Police looking into whether Joshua Kerry linked to alleged attempted burglary last year at Reform leader’s then home

Police are investigating whether Joshua Kerry, the man charged with the murder of the former Reform UK and Conservative politician Ann Widdecombe, had any role in an attempted burglary last year at the then London home of Nigel Farage.

Kerry, 28, from Rotherham, was charged with the murder of Widdecombe, 78, who was killed at her Devon home in July, after an investigation by counter-terrorism police.

On Friday, police said they were reinvestigating an incident in April 2025 at a London address where Farage was living at the time, which they have said was an attempted burglary. Other sources describe it as an attempted arson.

Police attended the incident, which they initially recorded primarily as a burglary. The Guardian understands detectives are studying fingerprints taken from the scene, as well as video from CCTV cameras in the area and from devices such as video doorbells. They examined the scene to see if an accelerant, such as lighter fluid, was used.

On Friday, Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) said it had referred itself to the police watchdog over the initial investigation of the April 2025 incident.

It said: “As part of the ongoing investigation led by Counter Terrorism Policing South East into the murder of Ann Widdecombe, officers have reopened an investigation into an incident reported to police last year.

“In April 2025, the Metropolitan police received a report of an attempted burglary at an address in the Greater London area. Enquiries were carried out by the Metropolitan police, supported by Counter Terrorism Policing London. No arrests were made and the investigation was subsequently closed, pending any new lines of inquiry.

“Following the reopening of the attempted burglary investigation, Counter Terrorism Policing London identified a line of enquiry which was not identified and pursued by them at the time, which may have been relevant. As a result, to ensure their support to the initial investigation is thoroughly reviewed, Counter Terrorism Policing London made a mandatory conduct referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct today.”

On Monday, Farage said at a press conference: “It’s a great, great tragedy that it took the death of Ann for the security services in Britain to finally take seriously the safety and security of Reform politicians and Reform prominent figures.”

He said he now had confidence in counter-terrorism police and said they were not trying to cover anything up.

The Reform leader said of CTP’s decision to refer itself to the IOPC: “The fact they’ve done that shows you they’re not trying to cover up, they’re not trying to ignore, and I have to say I have met Laurence Taylor [the head of CTP] and I did feel a great, great confidence in it.”

Widdecombe’s body was found with “serious injuries” by paramedics at her home in Haytor Vale, Devon, at 11.40am on Thursday 9 July.

Kerry’s first court appearance in July heard that Widdecombe died after being hit on the head with a hammer 21 times in her home. Police have said they believed the 78-year-old former minister was attacked the day before her body was found.

The attack on Widdecombe has not yet been declared a terrorist incident. CTP took the lead in the investigation because of the possibility there may have been a political motive behind her killing.