Ann Widdecombe: Ring doorbell footage ‘gave police key breakthrough’ | UK | News
Just five hours before Ann Widdecombe was fatally beaten in her Devon bungalow, the prime suspect in the murder was allegedly caught on CCTV getting into a red hatchback in her driveway in Rotherham.
Images obtained by Sun Additionally, the man leaving the council house shortly before 8 a.m. last Wednesday appears to have a wooden baton-like object sticking out of his shorts pocket. He is believed to have traveled approximately 267 miles to Haytor, where Ms Widdecombe, 78, was attacked at around 12.30pm.
The Ring doorbell camera at Ms Widdecombe’s home provided what police sources described as a “significant breakthrough”; It showed a white British man and his car outside the property. Counter-terrorism officers with specialist digital resources then helped track the suspect to his Yorkshire address.
The former Conservative minister, who later joined Reform UK, appeared on TalkTV at 8am that morning, shortly after the suspect set off. He responded to a producer’s message at 12:19 p.m., but was unable to attend a scheduled Zoom call at 12:48 p.m. His body was found by a domestic assistant at 11.30pm on Thursday. Sources say he died from severe blunt force trauma to the head.
It is understood police initially believed his death was the result of a fall. It wasn’t until the next day that they realized they were dealing with a murder investigation.
The breakthrough happened quickly. On Saturday night, armed police wearing balaclavas raided the terraced land in Rotherham just before 10pm, coinciding with the start of the England-Norway World Cup match. Neighbors said they heard a loud explosion before the suspect was taken out in handcuffs without any resistance. He was taken to Devon for questioning.
One neighbor said: “He was never in trouble. He would always take my packages and throw my bins out. It’s shocking.” The man lived alone after the recent death of his father and is believed to be one of three boys.
A 26-year-old man previously arrested in Newton Abbot has been removed from the investigation. Devon Chief Constable James Vaughan said officers were “delighted” to have a suspect in custody and praised the “extraordinary response” and “lightning speed” of the operation.
Police emphasized that there was no evidence that the murder was politically motivated.
Yesterday, around 250 mourners gathered at Buckfast Abbey, near Ann’s home; where Reform UK figures such as Lee Anderson, Zia Yusuf and Richard Tice paid tribute.
