+34
British police have charged Joshua Kerry, 28, with preparing acts of terrorism, including against Nigel Farage, while he already faces accusations of murdering Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe.
British police have charged a man already accused of murdering former MP and Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe with preparing acts of terrorism, including against Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
Terrorism Charge Against Joshua Kerry
Joshua Kerry, 28, of Rotherham in northern England, was charged by the Crown Prosecution Service with one count of preparation of terrorist acts. The charge relates to activity alleged to have taken place between May 31, 2024 and July 8, 2026, counter-terrorism police said. Police and prosecutors said the terrorism charge related in part to Farage, but did not provide further details. Kerry is due to appear at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.
The senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, 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. This investigation has 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, Evans said.
Ann Widdecombe Murder Allegations
Kerry is already facing accusations of murdering Widdecombe, 78, a prominent figure in Reform UK. She was found dead at her home in rural southwest England on July 9 after being attacked the day before. Prosecutors said she was struck 21 times with a hammer. In July, Kashif Malik, the prosecutor handling that case, told a court that the suspect had allegedly used a hammer to hit Widdecombe on the top of her head 21 times.
Widdecombe had been eating lunch when Kerry walked through her front door and attacked her, after having driven from his home in Rotherham, northern England, some 500 kilometres away, Malik said. Widdecombe was found lying face down on her kitchen floor by her gardener on the morning of July 9 at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor, Devon, and was declared dead by emergency services shortly afterwards.
The suspect spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address during a hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in July. He was not asked to indicate a plea. The killing of Widdecombe, a former Conservative minister and a spokesperson for Farage's Reform UK party, shocked British politics and raised further concerns about politicians' security. Widdecombe was the third UK politician murdered in an attack this decade.
Threats Targeting British Politicians
Labour Party MP Jo Cox was murdered in 2016 by a neo-Nazi sympathiser, and Conservative lawmaker David Amess was killed in 2021 by an Islamic State group follower. Two serving British MPs have been killed since 2016. 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. British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the latest charges were extremely concerning. My profound sympathies are with Nigel Farage and his family, she said on X. 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.
Nigel Farage Security Concerns
Farage, 62, is often credited with forcing the 2016 referendum on whether Britain should stay in the European Union. He has been one of the most influential, but also one of the most divisive, figures in British politics for more than a decade. When campaigning for parliament in 2024, Farage had a milkshake thrown at him by a woman, and on another occasion objects were hurled towards his open-top bus by a man.
Reform UK was leading in the polls until recently, though a combination of allegations over party funding and Andy Burnham taking over as prime minister has seen an erosion in its support. Farage is currently facing a parliamentary investigation over whether he should have declared a 5 million pound gift from a billionaire cryptocurrency investor. The sum is equivalent to about 9.5 million dollars. He has since 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. My profound sympathies are with Nigel Farage and his family, the source said on X. Let no one make any mistake: an attack on anyone in politics is an attack on us all.
GuardianAus 
brisbanetimes:Widdecombe murder suspect charged with planning terror acts against Farage 
smh:Widdecombe murder suspect charged with planning terror acts against Farage 
theage:Widdecombe murder suspect charged with planning terror acts against Farage 
abcnews:Man charged with preparing terrorist acts against Nigel FarageThis story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
Ann Widdecombe Nigel Farage Terrorism Charge Reform UK Terrorism Charges
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Burnham’s reopening of Brexit debate is ‘biggest boost in my career’, says FarageReform UK leader tells supporters PM’s move has ‘opened up a huge flank to us’
Read more »