Joshua Kerry, accused of murdering politician Ann Widdecombe, allegedly attempted to break into Nigel Farage’s London home a year prior, prosecutors say.
The security threat surrounding Reform UK leader Nigel Farage took a chilling new turn Wednesday as prosecutors linked his safety to the man now accused of murdering former British politician Ann Widdecombe.
Joshua Kerry, 28, stands charged with the preparation of terrorist acts, a count that specifically includes targets against Farage. Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard that investigators traced Kerry’s movements to Farage’s south London home in April 2025. Prosecutor Kashif Malik revealed that DNA evidence recovered from a lighter fluid container outside Farage’s door matches the suspect. whose vehicle was tracked by surveillance cameras traveling from his home in northern England to the capital.
Judge Paul Goldspring has sent the case to the Central Criminal Court, with a hearing scheduled for Friday. Kerry remains in custody and has not yet entered a plea.
This legal development follows the reopening of a counterterrorism probe into an alleged firebomb attempt at Farage’s property last month. The connections to Kerry arrive against the backdrop of the killing of 78-year-old Ann Widdecombe. who was found dead in her southwest England home on July 8 following a violent beating. Widdecombe. a former Conservative government minister and long-time Reform Party spokesperson. was well-known for her socially conservative stances on abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. as well as her later appearances on reality programs like “Strictly Come Dancing.”.
These two investigations reveal a pattern of targeted hostility toward political figures that has left the British establishment reeling. Each incident mirrors a grim history of violence against lawmakers. serving as a reminder of the vulnerability of public servants—a security reality that has only worsened since the 2016 murder of Jo Cox and the 2021 stabbing of David Amess.
As the investigation into the firebomb attempt and the murder of a veteran politician collide, the judicial system is now tasked with untangling the extent of Kerry’s alleged campaign against those in the public eye.
Ann Widdecombe Nigel Farage Joshua Kerry UK politics terrorism crime London