Investigation revived after police identify an overlooked line of inquiry
Counter Terrorism Policing has reopened an investigation into an attempted burglary at a London address as part of inquiries into the death of former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe.
The attempted burglary was reported in April last year. No arrests were made at the time, and the investigation was later closed pending new lines of inquiry.
However, Counter Terrorism Policing London said on Friday that investigators had identified a line of inquiry that had not been pursued during the original investigation.
The decision has prompted renewed scrutiny of how the initial case was handled.
Police watchdog investigates
Counter Terrorism Policing London has made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over its handling of the original investigation.
The police watchdog said it is investigating allegations that a member of Counter Terrorism Policing London staff failed to identify and pursue a relevant line of inquiry connected to the attempted burglary.
The initial investigation was carried out jointly by the Metropolitan Police and Counter Terrorism Policing London after the burglary was reported in Greater London.
Authorities have not disclosed details of the newly identified line of inquiry or explained how it could relate to Widdecombe’s death.
Widdecombe found dead
Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home in Devon last month after suffering serious injuries.
The former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman had been a prominent figure in British politics for decades.
Joshua Kerry, from Rotherham in South Yorkshire, has since been charged with her murder.
Kerry was initially arrested on suspicion of murder on 11 July. Two days later, he was additionally arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
The circumstances surrounding Widdecombe’s death remain under investigation.
Former minister and MP
Widdecombe represented Maidstone in Kent as a Conservative MP for 23 years.
She entered Parliament in 1987 and later held ministerial positions under former Prime Minister Sir John Major during the 1990s.
After leaving the Conservative Party, she became associated with Reform UK and served as a prominent spokesperson for the party.
Her death has attracted significant public attention because of her long political career and the circumstances surrounding the investigation.
Scrutiny over police handling
The reopening of the attempted burglary investigation adds another strand to the wider inquiry into Widdecombe’s death.
The IOPC investigation will examine whether the relevant police staff member failed to identify or properly pursue information that could have been important to the case.
Counter Terrorism Policing said the decision to reopen the inquiry followed the identification of a previously overlooked line of investigation.
The development is likely to increase scrutiny of the original handling of the burglary report, particularly as authorities continue investigating the events surrounding Widdecombe’s death.
Police have not indicated whether the reopened inquiry has directly linked the attempted burglary to the murder investigation, and no further details have been released about the potential connection.
The investigation remains ongoing.
