Joshua Kerry, a 28-year-old former lift company employee, is under investigation for the suspected murder of former Conservative Member of Parliament Ann Widdecombe. Police initially treated the death as a potential burglary but later re-arrested Kerry on suspicion of terrorism offenses following the discovery of new evidence. He remains in custody.
Mixed surveillance footage and neighbor accounts place Kerry leaving his Rotherham, South Yorkshire residence shortly before 8 a.m. on July 8, 2026, the day Widdecombe is believed to have been killed. A pole-like object was reportedly visible in his shorts pocket on CCTV.
Kerry, who lived alone in a council house, had reportedly not left his property from Wednesday until Saturday, July 11, when he was seen placing items in his wheelie bin. Officers, some armed, arrived at his home around 9 p.m. that evening and arrested him on suspicion of murder. His car was impounded the following day.
Neighbors described Kerry as a quiet and polite individual who assisted them with tasks such as taking out bins or holding parcels. He had been living alone since his father's death the previous year. His father, Paul Yates, was a former steel industry research engineer who had stopped working after losing a leg and being diagnosed with cancer.
An uncle recalled Kerry as a gentle and polite child who would often observe his older siblings playing rather than participate. He was raised by his teaching assistant mother after his parents divorced. His family is known in the Kimberworth Park estate area, with several members having served in the military.
Kerry had worked in an office at a lift company, where he participated in a charity fundraiser in 2022. Colleagues described him as being "part of the engine room" of the firm. His father's death around Christmas was described as a significant setback for him.
Investigators believe Widdecombe, a former MEP and Tory minister, was killed around 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8. Floral tributes have been left outside her home.
