The uncle of the 28-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murdering Ann Widdecombe has said he is “absolutely flabbergasted” by his nephew’s arrest, describing him as a “gentle giant” with “no red flags at all”. The 73-year-old, who is unnamed for legal reasons, told The Sun he was “in total shock” when he learned of the arrest, adding: “Never in a million years did I think he would be linked to this.” The suspect, a white British man from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, was held on Saturday on suspicion of murder and terrorism offences after Miss Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her remote bungalow in Haytor, Devon, on Thursday. He remains in custody.
The uncle said his nephew had lived in the Rotherham home for most of his life, one of three boys, and had been left on his own after his father – an amputee who “did everything” for him – died of cancer in December. “The only thing I can think of is he’s been left on his own after his dad’s death and he’s spiralled,” the uncle said. Neighbours described him as a recluse who rarely went out but was friendly when encountered. The uncle added: “He’s always been a quiet, polite lad, and very shy.”
“Uncle of Ann Widdecombe murder suspect says he is 'flabbergasted' and saw 'no red flags' before arrest.”
Miss Widdecombe, a former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokesperson, was found dead after sustaining serious injuries. Counter-terror police confirmed on Tuesday that her death was a “targeted attack”. Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor told reporters that whether a TV appearance might have motivated the killing is a “line of inquiry”, as is whether the suspect was targeting other Reform UK figures. Detectives are reportedly exploring extreme left-wing or a single-issue cause as possible motivations, with the Daily Mail reporting that left-wing extremism is a “leading avenue of inquiry”.
The suspect is believed to have driven nearly 300 miles from Rotherham to Haytor on Wednesday July 8. Neighbours reported seeing him leave home in his red Vauxhall Corsa at around 7am that day, with what appeared to be a partially concealed wooden pole. Police believe Miss Widdecombe was attacked that Wednesday at about 12.30pm, shortly before she was due to appear on Channel 5’s Matt Allwright show. ITV News published WhatsApp images suggesting she stopped responding to messages from a TV producer after that time. Her body was discovered on Thursday lunchtime after a neighbour checked following concerns raised by her agent.
The uncle, who said he liked Miss Widdecombe because she was “forthright” and “called a spade a spade”, added: “I’m just absolutely flabbergasted. I was in total shock when I found out about his arrest, but now I’m just numb.”