Newly published CCTV footage appears to show the man accused of murdering former Conservative minister and Reform UK politician Ann Widdecombe leaving his home in South Yorkshire just hours before she was fatally attacked nearly 270 miles (430km) away, as police continue to investigate the motive behind the killing.
The footage, first published by The Sun, shows a man believed to be the suspect leaving an address in Rotherham shortly before 8 a.m. on Wednesday, July 8, and getting into a red hatchback. An object described by witnesses as a wooden stick, baton, or pole can be seen either protruding from his shorts pocket or being placed into the passenger side of the vehicle.
Police believe Widdecombe, 78, was attacked at around 12:30 p.m. that day at her home near Haytor on Dartmoor. Investigators say the suspect is believed to have driven 267 miles from South Yorkshire to Devon before the alleged attack.
The former Cabinet minister, who later joined the Brexit Party before becoming a prominent Reform UK figure, had appeared on TalkTV at around 8 a.m. on the morning of her death and was due to appear on a Channel 5 programme later that afternoon. She replied to a producer’s text message at 12:19 p.m. but never joined a scheduled Zoom call. Her body was discovered by a domestic assistant the following day. Sources cited by the newspapers said she died from severe blunt-force injuries to the head.
According to the reports, investigators initially believed Widdecombe had died following a fall before concluding a day later that she had been murdered. A Ring doorbell camera outside her home is said to have captured images of a white British man and his vehicle, providing detectives with a major breakthrough. The inquiry later focused on CCTV and digital image enhancement before officers traced the suspect to Rotherham.
Armed officers arrested a 28-year-old man at a terraced house in Rotherham on Saturday night. CCTV released by The Sun shows officers entering the property before leading the suspect away in handcuffs without apparent resistance. He was later taken to Devon for questioning.
Neighbours described the suspect as quiet and largely keeping to himself. One neighbour told The Telegraph he rarely left the house and suggested his behaviour had changed after his father’s death, while another said he had been a timid and well-mannered child. Some residents also claimed he may have had learning difficulties.
A separate 26-year-old man arrested earlier in the investigation in Newton Abbot was later released after being ruled out as a suspect.
Devon and Cornwall Police have stressed that there is currently no evidence the killing was politically motivated. Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said detectives remained “open-minded” about the motive but that there was “nothing to suggest it was politically motivated” and no indication the case was terrorism-related. Police also said they were not seeking anyone else in connection with the murder.
The comments have not satisfied Reform UK. According to The Telegraph, party officials are reviewing emails sent to Widdecombe before her death for possible threats, while deputy leader Richard Tice called on police to provide daily public updates on the investigation. The party has also said it will provide round-the-clock security for its MPs following the killing.
