{"id":1870,"date":"2026-07-13T14:33:40","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T14:33:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usfocus360.xyz\/?p=1870"},"modified":"2026-07-13T14:33:41","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T14:33:41","slug":"counter-terrorism-police-share-statement-on-ann-widdecombes-murder-amid-new-evidence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usfocus360.xyz\/?p=1870","title":{"rendered":"Counter terrorism police share statement on Ann Widdecombe\u2019s murder amid \u2018new evidence\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"fpm_start\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"742\" height=\"388\" src=\"https:\/\/usfocus360.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-103.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1872\" srcset=\"https:\/\/usfocus360.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-103.png 742w, https:\/\/usfocus360.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-103-300x157.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 742px) 100vw, 742px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Counter Terrorism Police (CTP) are now leading the investigation into the murder of Ann Widdecombe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As reported by\u00a0The Sun, Counter Terrorism Policing South East has taken over from Devon &amp; Cornwall Police. The switch follows the death of the former Tory minister at her home in Haytor, Devon, last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ann, 78, died at her bungalow. She was found dead on Thursday morning (July 9).&nbsp; According to reports, she had suffered severe head injuries. Police believe she was attacked at 12:30pm on Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Police arrested a 28-year-old man in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on Saturday evening on suspicion of murder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He has since be re-arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, CTP said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.entertainmentdaily.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/reform-uk-2024-national-conference-birmingham-nec-uk-20-sep-2024-ann-widdecombe-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Ann Widdecombe at Reform UK 2024 National Conference\" class=\"wp-image-1251855\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Counter-terror police are leading the investigation into Ann Widdecombe\u2019s murder (Credit: Gary Roberts Photography\/Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Latest on Ann Widdecombe murder investigation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Counter Terrorism Policing South East said \u201cnew information and evidence\u201d led specialist officers to take charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A statement read: \u201cCounter Terrorism Policing (CTP) can confirm it is now\u202fleading\u202fthe investigation into the death of Ann Widdecombe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSpecialist officers from across the CTP network have been working alongside colleagues in Devon and Cornwall Police since a murder investigation was launched last week.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It added: \u201cNew information\u202fand evidence\u202fhas\u202fcome\u202fto\u202flight\u202fduring\u202fwhat has been a dynamic and complex investigation\u202fand as a result, Counter Terrorism Policing\u202fSouth East\u202f(CTPSE) is now leading the investigation.<\/p><script data-noptimize=\"\" data-wpfc-render=\"false\">\nfpm_start( \"true\" );\n<\/script>\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe man in custody has since been re-arrested on suspicion of\u202fcommission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCTPSE will continue to work closely with colleagues\u202ffrom the\u202fDevon and Cornwall Police\u202fMajor Crime Investigation Team\u202fand\u202facross the Counter Terrorism Policing network\u202fin an effort to\u202festablish\u202fthe full circumstances of the incident which\u202fled to\u202fthis murder investigation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Head of National Counter Terrorism Policing, Laurence Taylor, said:\u202f \u201cBuilding on the progress made by our colleagues in Devon and Cornwall Police, we now have new information and evidence that means Counter Terrorism Policing is now leading the investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe are pursuing multiple lines of enquiry to establish the motivation for this attack. Our priority is progressing this investigation quickly, with all the capabilities we have available to us. If anyone has any information, please share it with the police.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe would like to thank local communities, the wider public and the media for their ongoing support and\u202fpatience, and\u202fwould ask them to continue to support us in the next stage of the investigation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What happens when counter-terror police lead an investigation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Counter Terrorism Policing can take the lead in an investigation when evidence suggests a possible terrorism-related offence or when specialist national resources are required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Terrorism-related arrests can involve suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Counter-terror officers work alongside local police forces and can assume primary responsibility for major inquiries.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Investigators may examine motive, ideology, planning, communications, travel and any links to wider threats.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A counter-terror lead does not by itself establish motive or prove a terrorism offence.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Home Secretary speaks out<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she had spoken to the head of national counter-terror policing, Laurence Taylor, about the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Writing on X, she said: \u201cThis morning I have spoken to the head of @TerrorismPolice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFollowing new information and evidence, they are now leading on the investigation into the horrific murder of Ann Widdecombe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe police are pursuing multiple lines of enquiry to establish the motivation for this attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI will be updating the House further this afternoon. My thoughts today remain with Ann\u2019s family and friends, and all those who loved her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.entertainmentdaily.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/good-morning-britain-tv-show-london-uk-29-nov-2019-ann-widdecombe-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Ann Widdecombe on Good Morning Britain\" class=\"wp-image-1251752\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The timeline that raised new questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Police believe Ann died almost 24 hours before her body was discovered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman had previously said the alleged murder was not thought to be politically motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hours before her death, Ann was still working. As The Sun reported, she appeared on TalkTV at around 8am on Wednesday by video link from her home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She was also due to appear on Channel 5\u2019s Matt Allwright show on Wednesday afternoon. But she stopped responding to producers over WhatsApp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In messages later made public by ITV News, Ann wrote at 12.19pm: \u201cReceived! Panic over!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, she did not reply to a Zoom link sent at 12.48pm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A producer then messaged at 12.55pm: \u201cHi Ann is everything okay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An earlier arrest also formed part of the fast-moving Ann Widdecombe murder inquiry. Police arrested a 26-year-old man on Friday in Newton Abbot, around 11 miles from the scene, then released him and ruled him out of the investigation.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"fpm_end\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Counter Terrorism Police (CTP) are now leading the investigation into the murder of Ann Widdecombe. As reported by\u00a0The Sun, Counter Terrorism Policing South East has taken over from Devon &amp; Cornwall Police. The switch follows the death of the former Tory minister at her home in Haytor, Devon, last week. Ann, 78, died at her &#8230; <a title=\"Counter terrorism police share statement on Ann Widdecombe\u2019s murder amid \u2018new evidence\u2019\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/usfocus360.xyz\/?p=1870\" aria-label=\"Read more about Counter terrorism police share statement on Ann Widdecombe\u2019s murder amid \u2018new evidence\u2019\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":19,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1870","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usfocus360.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1870","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usfocus360.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usfocus360.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usfocus360.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usfocus360.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1870"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/usfocus360.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1870\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1873,"href":"https:\/\/usfocus360.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1870\/revisions\/1873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usfocus360.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1870"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usfocus360.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1870"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usfocus360.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1870"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}