Joshua Kerry, who already faces murder charges over the death of former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe, has now been charged with preparing terrorist acts, with Counter Terrorism Policing confirming Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is among those allegedly targeted.
A man already charged with the murder of former Conservative politician Ann Widdecombe has now been charged with preparing terrorist acts, with police confirming that Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is among the alleged targets. Joshua Kerry, of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, was charged on Friday with one count of preparation of terrorist acts, an offence alleged to have taken place over a two-year period between 31 May 2024 and 8 July 2026. He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 7 October, where he will face proceedings running alongside the separate murder case.
Details of the terrorism charge
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, said the charge followed a lengthy and complex investigation. “We have been running a hugely intensive and complex investigation for some time,” she said. “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.” The fact that the alleged offence spans more than two years, rather than relating to a single incident, suggests investigators examined a sustained pattern of activity rather than one isolated event.
Links to earlier incident at Farage-linked property
Counter-terrorism detectives have separately examined whether Kerry could be connected to an incident at a London property linked to Nigel Farage in April 2025. That incident was initially investigated as an attempted burglary before being reopened by counter-terrorism police after detectives identified a line of inquiry that had not previously been pursued. Reports relating to the incident at the time described an allegedly lit incendiary device being pushed through the property’s letterbox. The initial handling of that investigation subsequently led to a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, concerning an alleged failure to follow up on a potentially relevant line of inquiry at the time.
It has not been publicly established that Kerry was responsible for that earlier incident, meaning any connection should currently be regarded as a line of investigation rather than a confirmed fact.
Background to the Ann Widdecombe case
Kerry was first arrested and charged in connection with the death of Ann Widdecombe, whose body was discovered at her Devon home in July after she failed to attend a scheduled television interview. It was this case that ultimately led investigators to expand their inquiries into a counter-terrorism investigation. Prosecutors allege that Widdecombe was attacked inside her home on 8 July 2026, and that Kerry struck her repeatedly with a hammer before leaving the property. She was found the following day. These allegations form part of separate, ongoing criminal proceedings and have not yet been tested or proven at trial.
What happens next
Kerry is scheduled to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 7 October in connection with the preparation-of-terrorist-acts charge, while simultaneously facing the separate murder proceedings relating to Widdecombe’s death. With both cases now active before the courts, all allegations concerning Kerry, including his alleged intentions and the specific circumstances surrounding Widdecombe’s death, remain legally unproven unless and until they are established through the judicial process.
