Ms Widdecombe was found dead in her Dartmoor home earlier this month
Ann Widdecombe died after she was hit on the head with a hammer 21 times at her home in Devon on July 8, prosecutors have told Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
A 28-year-old man, Joshua Kerry, was charged yesterday with the murder of Ann Widdecombe.
Kerry appeared in the dock of Court 1 at Westminster Magistrates Court.
Prosecutor Kashif Malik told the court that, on July 8, Ms Widdecombe had been eating lunch when Kerry allegedly pulled up outside the front of her house in a red Vauxhall Corsa and entered using the front door.
A provisional cause of death was given as a “blunt force injury to the head”, the court heard.
Kerry appeared emotionless in the dock, spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address during the short hearing.
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring remanded him in custody until his next court appearance, set to be at the Old Bailey on Tuesday afternoon.
Mr Goldspring told Kerry: “You’re charged with an offence of murder which can only be dealt with in a crown court.”
He added: “You are therefore remanded into custody and sent to crown court.”
Kerry is alleged to have walked to the Reform UK spokeswoman’s kitchen and used a hammer to hit her on the top of her head 21 times, the court heard.
Kerry then allegedly tipped Ms Widdecombe from her chair and took a wallet out of her handbag before leaving and driving off, having only been in the property for two minutes.
She was found by her gardener lying face down on her kitchen floor with a serious head injury, Westminster Magistrates’ Court has heard.
The court heard Ms Widdecombe did not attend a pre-arranged media interview scheduled for just before 1pm.
The production team for the show she was due to appear on attempted to contact the Reform UK spokeswoman through her personal assistant, who then asked the gardener to check on her, the court heard.
Prosecutors said the gardener entered the house via the open front door the following day, July 9, and found Ms Widdecombe lying face down on her kitchen floor with a serious head injury.
Kerry, of Byrley Road, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, wore a grey tracksuit and was accompanied by an officer in the dock.
He was first arrested on suspicion of murder on July 11, two days after Ms Widdecombe was found dead at her Dartmoor home.
Kerry has been remanded in custody and will next appear at the same court on October 9 for a case management hearing before a further plea and trial preparation hearing on November 20.
