Police have arrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of the murder of former Conservative MP and Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe, with CCTV evidence emerging of a man carrying a wooden stick from a house linked to the suspect on the day of her death.
Arrest and Investigation
Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed that a white male, aged 28, was arrested in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, around 270 miles from Widdecombe's home in Haytor, Devon. The arrest was carried out shortly after 9pm on Saturday by officers from Counter Terrorism Police North East and South Yorkshire Police. Police have stated they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the investigation.
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman of Devon and Cornwall Police said officers remain "open-minded" about a potential motive but stressed there is no threat to the wider public. He added that there is no information to suggest the attack was terrorism-related.
CCTV and Neighbour Accounts
The Telegraph reported that it had seen CCTV footage appearing to show a man leaving an address in Rotherham around 7am on Wednesday, the day Widdecombe was last seen alive. A neighbour told the publication the man placed a wooden stick in the passenger side of a car before driving off. A cordon was in place on the road alongside several marked police vehicles.
Neighbours told the Press Association that police arrived at the terraced property just before the kick-off of the England World Cup match on Saturday night. Multiple units attended, and a car was removed from the driveway at about 3am. On Sunday evening, a South Yorkshire Police Tactical Support Group van was parked outside with at least two other marked vehicles, and forensics officers in white overalls were seen entering and exiting the property.
One neighbour said: "It all happened just before the match. When we came home from watching it there were just two plain police cars there but everyone says there were loads more here before that." A woman added: "Nothing happens on this street. We’ve been here 12 years and nothing has ever happened." Asked about the man who lives in the house, she said: "We’ve never even seen him. We don’t really know him. I don’t think anybody knows him. It’s so strange."
Timeline and Public Appeal
Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home on Thursday, having sustained serious injuries. Police believe she was attacked almost 24 hours earlier. Longman called for anyone with information who had not yet come forward to do so "as a priority" and reiterated appeals not to speculate about a potential motive.
