Ann Widdecombe 1947 - 2026 (Photo: Aid to the Church in Need)Former MP Ann Widdecombe was struck 21 times on the head with a hammer as she ate lunch, prosecutors told a London court on Tuesday. Joshua Kerry, 28, of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court charged with murder. He did not enter a plea and spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address. An inquest into Widdecombe's death was held on Tuesday morning but an exact cause of death was not given. Kerry was initially arrested on suspicion of murder on 11 July in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, more than 250 miles from Widdecombe's home.