Widdecombe Murder Accused Charged With Preparing Terrorist Acts Against Nigel Farage

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, in his official 2024 parliamentary portrait. Photo: UK Parliament (CC BY 3.0) via Wikimedia Commons.

The man already charged with the murder of former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe has now been charged with preparing terrorist acts against Nigel Farage, police have announced.

Joshua Kerry, 28, of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, was charged on Friday (2 October) with one count of preparation of terrorist acts. Police and prosecutors said he engaged in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts between May 2024 and July this year, and that the alleged activity related in part to the Reform UK leader.

Kerry is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 7 October.

Key facts

• Joshua Kerry, 28, of Rotherham, was charged on 2 October with one count of preparation of terrorist acts.
• Police say the alleged conduct took place between 31 May 2024 and 8 July 2026 and related in part to Nigel Farage.
• Kerry is already charged with the murder of Ann Widdecombe, 78, the former Tory minister and Reform UK spokeswoman.
• He is due at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 7 October.
• Counter Terrorism Policing says the charge follows a "hugely intensive and complex" investigation.
• Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the charges raised "serious questions about the security of those in public life".

What the charge alleges

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, confirmed the charge in a statement on Friday. She said: "We have been running a hugely intensive and complex investigation for some time. The charge announced today is a result of the tireless work of investigators across the Counter Terrorism Policing network."

She added that the investigation had been led by "a dedicated team of detectives, analysts, and forensic experts, working on multiple lines of enquiry, which has resulted in this very serious charge".

Police and prosecutors have not given further details of what the alleged preparation involved, beyond saying it related in part to Mr Farage. Under the Terrorism Act 2006, engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The Widdecombe murder case

Kerry was arrested and charged with murder in July after Ann Widdecombe was found dead at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor, Devon. A court previously heard that she had been hit over the head with a hammer 21 times. She is believed to have been attacked on 8 July and was found dead the following day.

Widdecombe, 78, was a Conservative MP from 1987 to 2010, representing Maidstone and later Maidstone & The Weald, and held several ministerial positions in Sir John Major's government. She later became a spokeswoman and prominent figure for Reform UK.

The Crown Prosecution Service decided to prosecute Kerry for murder in July. At the time, Frank Ferguson, Chief Crown Prosecutor of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: "Police enquiries into the defendant's motives are ongoing, including a potential political or terrorist connection. Our prosecutors have worked closely with the police to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this case to court, and we will continue working with them as their investigation progresses."

Ferguson also reminded all concerned that proceedings are active and the defendant has the right to a fair trial.

Kerry is already due at the Old Bailey on 9 October for a case management hearing, with a further plea and trial preparation hearing listed for 20 November. A provisional trial date has been set for 8 June 2027.

The alleged plot against Farage

Farage, 62, has long said he lives under serious threat. In April he claimed his home had been firebombed after a device was pushed through his letterbox. He told the Telegraph at the time that "there are huge dangers in this job".

Farage said he had been targeted early last year with an incendiary device that fizzled out before it could cause damage. In August, police reopened an inquiry into the alleged firebombing, admitting they had neglected a "relevant" line of inquiry during their initial review.

Farage has also faced violence on the campaign trail. During the 2024 general election campaign a woman threw a milkshake at him, and on another occasion objects were hurled towards his open-top bus by a man.

Security for the Reform UK leader has become a political issue in its own right. He received a seven-figure sum in 2024 to pay for his protection, and he is currently facing a parliamentary investigation over whether he should have declared a reported £5 million gift from a billionaire cryptocurrency investor. He has said the money was necessary to provide him with security. A Reform UK source told Reuters: "This is exactly why Nigel needed £5m to protect his security for life."

Political reaction

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said on Friday: "My profound sympathies are with Nigel Farage and his family. Let no one make any mistake: an attack on anyone in politics is an attack on us all. This case raises serious questions about the security of those in public life."

Reform lawmaker Richard Tice wrote on X: "Terrifying. Widdecombe alleged murderer charged with acts of terrorism against Nigel Farage over 2 years. This is why he needs money for security."

Reform's Nadhim Zahawi said: "These allegations are deeply disturbing. We need the full facts about the plot against Nigel Farage. What did police know, when did they know it, and what action did they take? Who led the investigation, and who signed off its conclusions? Ann Widdecombe's death demands answers. If opportunities to prevent it were missed, those responsible must be held accountable."

Wider concern over politicians' safety

The case lands amid sustained anxiety about the safety of elected politicians in Britain. Two serving MPs have been killed since 2016, and threats against candidates and office holders have been a recurring feature of recent election campaigns.

The developments also follow an intense period for counter-terrorism policing. This week saw fresh arrests in Westminster as part of the long-running investigation around RAF Fairford, with five men arrested last month still on bail and a sixth suspect questioned in the capital.

What happens next

Kerry will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 7 October to face the new terrorism preparation charge. Terror cases of this seriousness are normally sent to the Crown Court, where they would be dealt with at the Old Bailey alongside his existing murder case timetable.

Counter Terrorism Policing has indicated the investigation remains active. Police will say nothing further about the specifics of the alleged plot until it comes before the courts.

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Sources

• Reuters, "Man accused of ex-minister murder charged with preparing terrorist acts against Reform UK's Nigel Farage", 2 October 2026
• Press Association, "Man charged with preparing terrorist acts against Nigel Farage", 2 October 2026, via Clacton and Frinton Gazette
• The Sun, "Ann Widdecombe murder suspect, 28, charged with terror offence against Nigel Farage after home 'firebombed'", 2 October 2026