“’21 HAMMER BLOWS…'” ⚖️ The court has heard harrowing new evidence in the Ann Widdecombe 𝑚𝑢𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙…

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.

She was found by her gardener lying face down on her kitchen floor with a serious head injury, the court was also told.

A man has appeared in court on Tuesday charged with murdering Ms Widdecombe.

Joshua Kerry, 28, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court over the death of the Reform UK spokeswoman, former Tory minister and Express columnist.

Prosecutor Kashif Malik told the court that, on July 8, Ms Widdecombe did not attend a pre-arranged online interview scheduled for just before 1pm, which would have been aired live on Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show.

The show’s production team tried to contact the Reform UK spokeswoman through her personal assistant, who then asked the gardener to check on her, the court heard.

Prosecutors said he 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.

The prosecutor added that 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.

Kerry is accused of then walking to the Reform UK spokeswoman’s kitchen and using a hammer to hit her on the top of her head repeatedly.

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, the court heard.

A provisional cause of death was given as a “blunt force injury to the head”, the court heard.

Kerry, who 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 at the Old Bailey later 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 the Crown Court.”

Following that appearance, Kerry was further remanded in custody. Prosecutor Alistair Richardson told the Old Bailey that before his arrest, Kerry was living in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, 265 miles from Ms Widdecombe’s Devon address.

Kerry 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. A provisional trial date was listed for June 8, 2027.