LONDON — A 28-year-old man already facing a murder charge has been indicted on counts of preparing acts of terrorism, including targeting hard-right leader Nigel Farage, British police announced on Friday.
Joshua Kerry faces one count of preparing terrorist acts for actions allegedly committed between May 31, 2024, and July 8, 2026. In July, Kerry was charged with the murder of former MP and Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe, who was found dead in her home at age 78.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans commented on the new charge: “We have been running a hugely intensive and complex investigation for some time… 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.”
Kerry is scheduled to appear at a London magistrates’ court on October 7. He was initially charged on July 11, two days after Widdecombe’s murder. Prosecutor Kashif Malik stated that the suspect allegedly struck Widdecombe 21 times with a hammer after entering her home while she was eating lunch, having driven 300 miles from Rotherham. Her gardener discovered her body face down on the kitchen floor, and a provisional cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma to the head.
Widdecombe’s killing, which sparked calls for enhanced security among lawmakers, marks the third murder of a UK politician this decade, following the 2016 killing of Labour MP Jo Cox and the 2021 assassination of Conservative MP David Amess.
