Police launch an investigation into Ann Widdecombe death

As well as the enormous amount of evidence that has to be compiled and shared by the prosecution with the defence and the number of people who may be required to give evidence and so on, the Crown Court has a very large back log of cases.

Murder trials can last several weeks meaning they face longer waits to be scheduled on the court calendar compared to minor offences.

The Criminal Bar Association report that the number of cases in the backlog across England and Wales as at 31 March 2026 was 80,061.

It takes an average of 6 to 12 months for a murder case to come to court.

Casdon

PS by no stretch of the imagination are secure mental health facilities nice places to be.

Better than being battered to death, though…

MT62

Poor lass, I hope it was quick 😞
Bloody bastard.

I know, how awful poor lady in her own home too.
So sad she was having her lunch and a monster came through her front door. He is a disgusting excuse for a human.

One thing about a prison sentence is that it is finite. There's an end date. Remand to a secure hospital can be without any potential discharge date. They're not necessarily great places but generally a bit pleasanter than prison. The company isn't great in either of them.

Poor, poor lady. Sitting quietly eating her lunch and mercilessly bludgeoned to death. Ann Widdecombe had a lot of security and the attack was all captured on a camera in her kitchen. I am not a supporter of capital punishment but at times like this I wonder if it is just desserts for monsters like him. Her poor family must be in pieces.

Sarnia

Poor, poor lady. Sitting quietly eating her lunch and mercilessly bludgeoned to death. Ann Widdecombe had a lot of security and the attack was all captured on a camera in her kitchen. I am not a supporter of capital punishment but at times like this I wonder if it is just desserts for monsters like him. Her poor family must be in pieces.

I imagine the family will be in pieces but am hoping the fact this monster has now been found and will hopefully face a lifetime in prison will make them feel that justice will be done for their loved one. 🙏🏾
And I imagine those living alone in the area where Ann was murdered will feel a bit safer knowing this lunatic is behind bars.

Shinamae

Casdon

PS by no stretch of the imagination are secure mental health facilities nice places to be.

Better than being battered to death, though…

Of course, there is no more awful death than being murdered. You were wrong to imply that being committed to a secure mental health unit is an easy option for the accused though, it really is not. They are scary places, I’ve been to one through work.

Casdon

Shinamae

Casdon

PS by no stretch of the imagination are secure mental health facilities nice places to be.

Better than being battered to death, though…

Of course, there is no more awful death than being murdered. You were wrong to imply that being committed to a secure mental health unit is an easy option for the accused though, it really is not. They are scary places, I’ve been to one through work.

That was my opinion… to which I’m entitled…

Of course, just as I’m entitled to disagree with what you said?

Casdon

Of course, just as I’m entitled to disagree with what you said?

Quite 🙂

If anyone on this thread is interested, Primrose53 and I have left shocked comments this evening on the last page of the previous (and as I thought, now discarded) thread 'Ann Widdecombe has died'.

It seems as though the attack was recorded on camera.
I hope the first blows killed her.
If faith means anything she will be at peace now.

What a horrible discovery for that poor gardener.

Aveline

What a horrible discovery for that poor gardener.

I know, it must have been horrendous. I hope they are receiving support and counselling if necessary.

I agree. There is always a trail of secondary victims alongside the actual victim.

Iam64

Absolutely horrific, awful death for Ann W.

Secure hospital wards for the criminally insane are not ‘nice hospitals’. Ask anyone who has or does work on one.

Delay in court hearings have sadly become the norm. It’s shocking. A friend with life changing injuries after being hit, as a pedestrian, by. 56 year old man driving his Range Rover on coke and prescription drugs is still waiting for the trial. Meanwhile the perpetrator continues to drive. Women can. Wait years to give evidence in rape trials . All our public services need investment.

& yet, wasn’t Lucy Connelly woman fast tracked into prison.

I'm not sure what that has to do with anything, really.

LC was jailed for inciting people to burn people alive. I have no sympathy for her, other than to concede that if she hadn't done it at a time of civil unrest the sentence would have been more lenient. But that is always the case - I remember a woman being jailed for not reporting her child (can't remember if it was a son or daughter) who stole a bottle of water from a shop during a riot. Many young people got criminal records that will follow them though life for similar offences, and had they taken place in 'usual times' they would've got off with a caution.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, don't they?

Unless you are Jo Brand who said she wished that someone had thrown battery acid over Nigel Farage instead of milk shake. She is a vile, unfunny woman. Never got into trouble for that did she?

She wasn’t a special case, all those involved in the riot, whether through participation in the violence or incitement were fast tracked?

Yes that was part of the reason he us no longer PM.

Is

Primrose53

Unless you are Jo Brand who said she wished that someone had thrown battery acid over Nigel Farage instead of milk shake. She is a vile, unfunny woman. Never got into trouble for that did she?

Was it at a time of riot, with people drunkenly rampaging through the streets?

If not, it was a tasteless remark, but not incitement or racism.

Was it at a time of riot?

The point you make, DD is a very valid one because Section 19 of the Public Order Act under which Connolly was charged says very clearly:

19. Publishing or distributing written material

(1) A person who publishes or distributes written material which is threatening, abusive or insulting is guilty of an offence if –

(a) he intends thereby to stir up racial hatred, or

(b) having regard to all the circumstances racial hatred is likely
to be stirred up thereby

Her message was viewed 310,000 times and reposted 940 times at a time when people were rioting.

… having regard to all the circumstances.

The judge emphasised this saying:

As is clear from section 19(1), the offence may be committed either by publishing the offending material with intent to stir up racial hatred, or by publishing it without such an intent but in circumstances where it is likely to stir up racial hatred.

www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lucy-Connolly-v-The-King.pdf

Graphite thanks. I think that's very clear.

Also Brand's comment - though awful, was after the event... And not telling people to go out and throw acid.

I'd class Jo Brand's comment alongside that unspeakable remark about Ann Widdecombe. I can't stand Nigel Farage, by the way, and disagreed with much of what Ann Widdecombe stood for, but we should observe basic standards of human decency.