Ann Widdecombe was hit on head repeatedly with hammer, prosecutors say

Ann Widdecombe died aft being deed connected the caput with a hammer 21 times astatine her Devon home, prosecutors person told Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Prosecutor Kashif Malik said that connected 8 July Widdecombe was eating luncheon erstwhile the antheral accused of her murder, Joshua Kerry, arrived astatine her location successful a reddish Vauxhall Corsa and entered done the beforehand door.

Kerry, who prosecutors accidental was lone successful the spot for 2 minutes, past allegedly deed Widdecombe repeatedly with a hammer, tipped her from her seat and past took her wallet earlier driving off, the tribunal heard.

The 28-year-old from South Yorkshire, who is charged with her murder, was remanded successful custody to look astatine the Old Bailey aboriginal connected Tuesday.

A provisional origin of decease had been fixed arsenic a blunt unit wounded to the head, the tribunal was told.

Malik told the tribunal that Widdecombe did not be a pre-arranged online interrogation with Channel 5's Matt Allwright amusement that had been scheduled for conscionable earlier 13:00 BST connected 8 July.

The show's accumulation squad tried to interaction Widdecombe done her idiosyncratic assistant, who past asked Widdecombe's gardener to cheque connected her, the tribunal heard.

Prosecutors said gardener entered the location via the unfastened beforehand doorway connected 9 July, and recovered Widdecombe lying look down connected her room level with a superior caput injury.

Kerry, from Rotherham, appeared emotionless successful the dock and spoke lone to corroborate his name, day of commencement and code during the abbreviated proceeding astatine Westminster Magistrates' Court. He did not bespeak a plea.

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