Counter-terrorism police reopen investigation into Ann Widdecombe death
Counter-terrorism police have reopened an investigation into an attempted burglary linked to the death of Ann Widdecombe, according to BBC One West.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Counter-terrorism police have reopened an investigation into an attempted burglary at a London address last year, as part of the murder inquiry into the death of former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe. The development was confirmed in a statement from Counter-Terrorism Policing, which said a new line of inquiry had been identified that was not pursued at the time. The property in question is understood to be used by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who previously said a lit incendiary device had been pushed through his letterbox.
The original incident was reported to the Metropolitan Police in April 2025. Officers from the Met and Counter-Terrorism Policing made inquiries, but no arrests were made and the case was closed pending any new lines of inquiry. Now, following the reopening of the attempted burglary investigation, detectives say a line of inquiry which may have been relevant has been identified. Counter-Terrorism Policing has made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over the handling of the initial investigation. The watchdog is investigating the actions of a single member of Counter-Terrorism Policing London staff.
Ann Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home in Dartmoor on 9 July. She had been hit on the head 21 times with a hammer, minutes before she was due to make a television appearance. Joshua Kerry, a 28-year-old from Rotherham, has been charged with her murder. A provisional trial date has been set for June next year. The murder investigation is being led by counter-terrorism detectives.
The reopening of the attempted burglary case raises questions about how an incident at Nigel Farage's home could be linked to the killing of Ann Widdecombe. Police have not confirmed any connection, and the exact nature of the new line of inquiry remains undisclosed. The IOPC's involvement suggests potential failings in the original police response, though no details of what went wrong have been made public. As the murder case progresses, further updates are expected.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC News | BBC One | GB News | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| An attempted burglary occurred at Ann Widdecombe's London property. | · | |||||
| A property was linked to Nigel Farage. | · | · | ||||
| Ann Widdecombe was found dead with serious head injuries, having been hit on the head 21 times with a hammer. | · | · | · | |||
| Counter-terrorism police reopened an investigation into an attempted burglary linked to Ann Widdecombe's death. | · | · | · | |||
| Joshua Kerry was charged with Ann Widdecombe's murder; a provisional trial date was set for June next year. | · | · | · | |||
| The handling of the case was referred to the IOPC. | · | · | · | |||
| The IOPC is investigating a single counter-terrorism police staff member. | · | · | · | |||
| A new line of inquiry was identified in the reopened attempted burglary investigation. | · | · | · | · | ||
| A relevant line of inquiry was not identified or pursued during the original investigation. | · | · | · | · | ||
| No arrests were made in the original burglary investigation. | · | · | · | · | ||
| The attempted burglary investigation was closed. | · | · | · | · | ||
| Police have not confirmed a link to Nigel Farage. | · | · | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC One West's coverage focused on the official police statement and the procedural details, with a live interview with correspondent Laura Trant. The second report, by Thomas McGill, made the connection to Nigel Farage explicit and highlighted the IOPC referral. The tone was straightforward and factual, with no speculation beyond what the BBC understood.
- “Counter-terrorism police investigating the death of the former Conservative MP, Ann Widdecombe, have reopened an investigation into an attempted burglary in London last year.”
- “Following the reopening of the attempted burglary investigation, a new line of inquiry has been identified, which in their statement they say could be relevant.”
- “The BBC understands the property in question is used by the Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.”
BBC News combined the official statement with the BBC's understanding that the incident involved Nigel Farage's home, referencing the incendiary device. The report by Thomas McGill provided context on the murder and the IOPC referral. The channel presented the facts clearly, linking the burglary to the murder investigation without overstating the connection.
- “Counterterrorism police have reopened a probe into an attempted burglary at an address in London last year.”
- “BBC News understands it relates to an incident at Nigel Farage's home, which he previously referred to as a lit incendiary device being pushed through his letterbox.”
- “Counterterrorism police based in London have made a mandatory referral to the police watchdog, the IOPC, after their handling of the initial investigation last year.”
ITV1's coverage varied between two segments. The ITV News at Ten initially reported that the property was Ann Widdecombe's London home, which was inaccurate, and focused on the reopening and the IOPC referral. The ITV Evening News and later ITV News segments corrected this, identifying the property as used by Nigel Farage and detailing the incendiary device. Overall, ITV1 emphasised the potential significance of the missed line of inquiry.
- “It is being reported that that was at the London property of Ann Widdecombe.”
- “We now understand it relates to an incident last year at a property used by the reform leader Nigel Farage.”
- “Counter-terrorism policing in London have referred themselves, as is mandatory in cases like this, to the independent office for police conduct.”
GB News led with the Nigel Farage connection, asserting that the burglary took place at his home. The channel used language such as 'old burglary case at Nigel Farage's home' and 'GB News can confirm' to present the link as established. It also highlighted the IOPC investigation into a staff member, framing it as a serious development. The tone was more direct and political than other channels.
- “Investigators looking into the death of former MP Ann Widdecombe have now reopened an old burglary case at Nigel Farage's home.”
- “GB News can confirm that the attempted burglary, which has been referred to in a press release by Counter Terror Police South East, took place at a London property owned by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.”
- “There's several key things that stand out there. Not least the investigation into the conduct of a staff member at Counter Terrorism Policing.”
Sky News reported the story as 'understood' and linked the property to Nigel Farage, but did not explicitly confirm ownership. It provided a statement from a senior counter-terror coordinator and focused on the new line of inquiry being looked at as part of the murder investigation. The channel did not mention the IOPC referral, instead concentrating on the procedural update and the timeline.
- “Sky News understands that counter-terrorism police investigating the death of Ann Widdecombe have reopened an inquiry into an attempted burglary at a property that was linked to Nigel Farage.”
- “We have a statement from a woman called Vicky Evans, senior national coordinator at Counter Terror Police, and she has said they've identified a new line of inquiry that may have been relevant.”
- “That is being looked at as part of the investigation into the murder of Ann Widdecombe.”
5 News reported the reopening of the burglary probe and noted that police had not confirmed the link to Nigel Farage, despite it being reported. It included Mr Farage's own account of the incendiary device. The channel did not mention the IOPC referral, focusing instead on the unresolved connection to Widdecombe's death. The tone was cautious and attributed the Farage link to reports.
- “It's being reported that Counter Terror Police, investigating Ann Widdecombe's suspected murder, have reopened a year-old probe into an incident at Nigel Farage's home.”
- “Counter Terror Police says it's looking into an attempted burglary at a property as part of the investigation into her killing, but hasn't confirmed the home is linked to Reform UK's leader or why it might be connected to Ms Widdecombe's death.”
- “Mr Farage says a lit device was posted through his letterbox in April last year.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.