Ann Widdecombe: I’m ex-police officer – this is what terror cops will | UK | News

Ann Widdecombe murder investigation A former detective said police will focus their efforts on the three crime scenes and do all they can to get justice for the former Conservative minister. Marc Cananur served police He has been working on a wide range of crimes, including murder and fraud, in Kent and the City of London for 30 years.

he said Daily Express: “Any loss is devastating, regardless of status, but this is even more devastating because of Ann’s vulnerability. She was 78 and lived alone. She was a likable character, whether you support her views or not. But she was alone in her own home and, as far as we can tell, was beaten to death. Horrible.”

He added: “Due to the high profile of the case, [detectives] I don’t want to misunderstand this. It is loved by many and they will want to provide it [the culprit] brought to justice on behalf of his family, community and supporters. “The risks are high for them.”

The ex-cop revealed the three key scenes would be Ms Widdecombe’s home, the suspect’s home and a car that police seized at around 3am on Sunday, July 12.

Miss Widdecombe, a former Conservative minister and later Reform UK spokeswoman, was found dead at her home in Haytor, Dartmoor, at around 11.40am on Thursday after suffering serious injuries.

A 28-year-old white British man was arrested at an address in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on Saturday evening. There was a significant police presence at a house on Byrley Road in the Kimberworth Park area of ​​Rotherham on Sunday; This address was linked to the suspect and was more than 200 miles from the former minister’s home in Devon.

Counterterrorism officials said the man was arrested again They are suspected of committing, preparing or instigating terrorist acts and are currently investigating his death. They said new information and evidence emerged during the investigation.

Mr Cananur He said the latest development may have resulted from a search of the suspect’s devices and internet search history. The former detective said officers will continue investigating the suspect’s life, scanning social media, his devices and his home for clues.

He added that highly trained officers, known as POLSAs or Police Search Advisors, will meticulously examine a suspect’s home for evidence, while digital forensics officers will work with mobile providers to take apart their digital devices to download anything they have stored.

Mr Cananur said: “Part of this will be looking at his views on certain issues and Ann Widdecombe’s views and how their paths may have crossed for whatever reason.”

He said that to date the police have not commented on the suspect’s mental health, adding: “The fact a neighbor filmed him suggests to me that maybe they had concerns over this individual.”

Footage emerged over the weekend of a man shoving a wooden stick into a parked car outside a home linked to the murder suspect.

According to the security expert, the suspect’s family, friends, neighbors and colleagues will also be questioned as part of the general investigation.

However, the police will not want to give away too much information to avoid revealing anything that could disrupt the investigation or jeopardize the case if the matter goes to court.

The priority now will be to preserve evidence that has already come to light from Ms Widdecombe’s home and forensic details such as DNA samples and fast-track them to the laboratory.

Mr Cananur said: “It seems to me that this individual was identified so quickly – through fast-track forensics. I suspect they were subject to a rapid forensic attack.”

Officers will test a suspect’s accounts during police interviews to interrogate the suspect up to the limit of detaining someone suspected of serious crimes before the charge expires.

Detectives will also test the suspect’s mental state to determine whether he or she is in the necessary state of mind to establish criminal liability (a legal term known as mens rea).

Mr Cananur said police would work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to test whether they had enough evidence to charge the suspect.

In this case, if the threshold for a murder charge is not reached before the legal limit for detaining a person ends, police may seek a “hold” charge for a lesser offense so police and prosecutors can build a stronger case.

Devon and Cornwall Police will have closely followed the steps outlined in what officers call a “homicide manual”, which details the process required in such cases.

Forensic officers will tear apart the car to find Ms Widdecombe’s DNA, as well as a wooden stick the suspect is said to have put in the car on the morning the former Tory minister died.

Detectives will also examine CCTV, dashcam footage and any details from Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras to build a picture of the vehicle’s movements.

Police continue to maintain a large presence at Ms Widdecombe’s home; Mr Cananur argued that this was to preserve evidence and provide reassurance to the public.

Mr Cananur said where the crime took place in Devon would also hit the public hard, given the county’s reputation as a relatively peaceful holiday destination. He added: “For something like this to happen there would send shockwaves through the community.”