A man was captured on home CCTV footage being arrested by the police under suspicion of the murder of former Member of Parliament Ann Widdecombe, who was found dead in her residence in Haytor on Dartmoor. The suspect, a 28-year-old white British man, was apprehended around 300 miles away from Widdecombe’s home.
Ann Widdecombe, aged 78, a former government minister turned television personality, was discovered deceased on Thursday morning with severe injuries. The arrest of the suspect, captured in a video shared with Sky News, took place in South Yorkshire, where armed officers detained the shirtless man.
Following the initial arrest, the handcuffed individual was led away from the house in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Subsequently, the suspect was rearrested on suspicion of involvement in acts of terrorism.
Counter-terrorism authorities have taken charge of the investigation into the death of the veteran politician. Although Widdecombe’s passing was initially announced without mention of foul play, Devon and Cornwall Police later confirmed a murder inquiry was underway, indicating that the attack on Widdecombe occurred on Wednesday afternoon.
Initially, a 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder but was subsequently released as he was no longer considered a suspect. Laurence Taylor, the head of UK counter-terrorism policing, revealed that new evidence and information have surfaced during the murder investigation.
Mr. Taylor stated, “Following the progress made by Devon and Cornwall Police, Counter Terrorism Policing has taken over the investigation based on new information and evidence. We are exploring various leads to determine the motive behind the attack.”
