A 28-year-old man has been charged with preparing acts of terrorism, including acts allegedly targeting Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, counter-terrorism police have said.
Joshua Kerry, from Rotherham, was charged on Friday with a single count of preparation of terrorist acts. The charge relates to activity alleged to have taken place between May 2024 and July 2026.
Kerry was already before the courts charged with the murder of Ann Widdecombe, the 78-year-old former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman who was found dead at her home in Haytor, Devon, on Thursday 9 July, having sustained serious injuries.
Police said Kerry is due to appear in court on Wednesday over the terror charge.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she knew the fresh charge would be “extremely concerning” and offered her “profound sympathies” to Mr Farage and his family.
“Let no one make any mistake: an attack on anyone in politics is an attack on us all,” she said.
“This case raises serious questions about the security of those in public life. We must use this as an opportunity to reset. Once parliament returns, I will update on our work to strengthen protections for those who choose to serve.”
A Reform UK source said: “This is exactly why Nigel needed £5m to protect his security for life.”
Mr Farage is currently facing a parliamentary standards watchdog investigation into a £5m gift from a billionaire donor received before he returned as an MP in 2024. The Reform UK leader has previously said the money was for his personal security.
Counter Terrorism Policing Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said the charge was the result of a “hugely intensive and complex investigation”.
“This investigation has been led by a dedicated team of detectives, analysts, and forensic experts, working on multiple lines of enquiry, which has resulted in this very serious charge,” she said.
Frank Ferguson, of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said prosecutors had “worked closely” with police to bring the charge and would continue to work alongside them as the investigation continued.
What does a preparation of terrorist acts charge mean?
Preparation of terrorist acts is an offence under section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006. It makes it a crime to engage in conduct in preparation for carrying out acts of terrorism, or for assisting someone else to do so.
The offence is deliberately broad: it can cover researching potential targets, carrying out reconnaissance, acquiring materials or equipment, or drawing up detailed plans. Prosecutors do not have to show that an attack was imminent, only that the accused was preparing to give effect to an intention to commit terrorism.
It is among the most serious charges in the counter-terrorism framework and carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. London courts have previously handed down lengthy sentences for bomb-related offending, including a 15-year term imposed earlier this year on a man who blew up a ULEZ camera with a homemade explosive device.
What happens next: the first court hearing
Kerry is expected to make his first appearance over the terror charge on Wednesday. Because preparation of terrorist acts can only be tried in the Crown Court, magistrates are expected to send the case straight to the Crown Court at that first hearing — terrorism cases in London are typically heard at the Old Bailey.
At a first appearance, the court confirms the defendant’s identity, the charge is read out and the question of bail is considered. Defendants facing terrorism charges are commonly remanded in custody. A plea and trial preparation hearing is then fixed at the Crown Court, where a timetable is set for the prosecution to serve its evidence and for pleas to be entered.
The terror charge will proceed alongside the murder charge Kerry already faces. Courts have also recently dealt with other serious cases linked to alleged extremist activity, including a Wagner-linked arson plot whose architect was ordered to pay £160,000 to his victims.
Background
Ms Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home in Haytor, Devon, on 9 July. She served as the Conservative MP for Maidstone in Kent for 23 years and held ministerial roles in Sir John Major’s government in the 1990s.
After leaving the Commons she became a household name through an appearance on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, and later became a spokeswoman for Reform UK.
Two teenagers were jailed for 10 years earlier this year over a petrol bomb attack on a restaurant in Gants Hill, in another case showing how seriously the courts treat planned violent attacks.
