Richard released the following statement after details of the murder of former Minister, Anne Widdecombe, were revealed this week:
The brutality of the death of Ann Widdecombe was outlined in horrific detail in court this week.
I am still trying to fathom the motivations that would cause someone to do such appalling things to such a defenceless person.
As stated in court, the alleged murderer drove hundreds of miles to spend a whisper of time at Ms Widdecombe’s house before brutally killing her by beating her with a hammer twenty one times.
This does not make sense to me and I am pleased that the judge has given our police and anti-terrorist services the time to piece together why this violent act occurred.
I did not know Ann Widdecombe personally and our times in the House of Commons did not overlap.
I did, though, know of her principled approach to politics and I admired her for that. In a time of quite callow political figures, Ms Widdecombe shone a clear light based on core and abiding principle.
