A 28-year-old man accused of murdering former MP Ann Widdecombe allegedly drove almost 300 miles to her Devon home carrying a “foot-long stick” on the day she died, as detectives piece together a chilling CCTV trail stretching from South Yorkshire to the quiet countryside where the veteran politician was found dead.
The suspect was arrested at a former council house in Rotherham on Saturday night, just days after Ms Widdecombe was discovered dead inside her bungalow in Haytor, Devon.
The 77-year-old former Conservative MP and Brexit Party MEP suffered severe head injuries in what police described as a murder investigation that has shocked communities across Britain.
Detectives believe Ms Widdecombe was killed at around 12.30pm on Wednesday, with officers finding her body the following morning at 11.40am.
The investigation took a dramatic turn after CCTV footage allegedly showed a man leaving a property in the Kimberworth Park area of Rotherham shortly before 7am on the morning of Ms Widdecombe’s death.
The man was then seen driving away in a red Vauxhall Corsa, which police later recovered and towed away as part of their forensic operation.
A neighbour who viewed the footage claimed the suspect appeared to have something hidden underneath his clothing.
The object was described as resembling “a wooden stick or an iron bar, about a foot long”.
The neighbour said: “He seemed calm… and there is nothing to suggest anything unusual was happening.”
The resident added that the early morning departure was unusual because the car was normally left parked outside for long periods.
Devon and Cornwall Police have stressed that they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the killing.
Officers have also said the attack was not politically motivated and was not terror-related.
However, Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said detectives were keeping an open mind about what may have driven the attack.
The force has received around 120 pieces of information from members of the public as investigators work to establish exactly what happened inside Ms Widdecombe’s home.
Chief Constable James Vaughan praised the police response, calling it an example of “British policing at its very best”.
Residents in Rotherham described the arrested man as someone who had become increasingly isolated after the death of his father before Christmas.
One neighbour said the suspect had changed significantly in recent months.
“The others moved out, so he was living on his own… He seemed to change because he became even more introverted.”
The neighbour added that he was rarely seen outside the property.
“You would barely see him — to the point where you’d presume the house was unoccupied.”
Forensic officers spent hours searching the property for evidence, while police maintained a cordon outside.
Investigators also examined the recovered Vauxhall Corsa as they attempted to build a timeline of events leading up to the killing.
Tributes have poured in for Ms Widdecombe, a politician known for her outspoken views, sharp debating style and decades of public service.
A Mass was held at Buckfast Abbey, where she was a regular worshipper.
Supporters and Reform UK politicians gathered at Dartmoor National Park for a vigil, laying flowers in memory of the former MP.
Richard Tice told mourners Britain had lost a “national treasure”.
The party has also begun reviewing correspondence sent to Ms Widdecombe in the weeks before her death as part of efforts to identify whether she received any threats.
The investigation has left residents in both Devon and Yorkshire searching for answers over how a quiet rural home became the scene of a murder inquiry.
As forensic teams continue their work, detectives are now focused on reconstructing the suspect’s movements, the journey south and the events that led to the death of one of Britain’s most recognisable political figures.
The central question remains: why did a man allegedly travel hundreds of miles to Ann Widdecombe’s doorstep on the day she died?
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