Man jailed for life for Holly Willoughby murder plot

A security guard who plotted to abduct, rape and murder television presenter Holly Willoughby has been jailed for a minimum of 16 years.

Gavin Plumb said his "ultimate fantasy" was to use tools he had assembled to perpetrate highly sexualised violence against the former This Morning host.

The 37-year-old from Harlow, Essex, was caught after he unknowingly disclosed his plans to an undercover police officer operating in the online chatroom "Abduct Lovers".

Imposing a life sentence at Chelmsford Crown Court, Mr Justice Murray described some of the plans Plumb discussed as "particularly sadistic, brutal and degrading".

He added that the offences have had "life-changing consequences" on Ms Willoughby, both "privately and professionally".

Plumb was handed a life sentence with a minimum tariff of 16 years before he becomes eligible for parole.

Plumb had denied soliciting murder and inciting kidnap and rape between 2021 and 2023, but was found guilty following an eight-day trial.

"I have no doubt this was all considerably more than a fantasy to you," said the judge, who noted Plumb's "gross obesity" which he had previously talked to the BBC about.

The judge added: "Your plan was hopelessly unrealistic for a number of reasons – including your physical health – but you clearly thought it was feasible.

"You always intended to carry out your plan to kidnap, rape and kill Ms Willoughby if you could find ‘the right crew’ to do it."

The defendant, who had previous convictions for attempted kidnap, stood emotionless in the dock as he was sentenced.

He will serve at least 15 years and 85 days due a reduction for the time he spent on remand ahead of the trial.

Ms Willoughby ended her 14-year stint on This Morning after the offences came to light in October 2023.

"The extent of the shock and fear of this offending has been impossible to be conveyed," prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said.

Plumb had developed an “obsession” with Ms Willoughby that spanned more than 10 years, she previously told the trial.

• Gavin Plumb could have been stopped sooner, says survivor

He had a “real intention” to raid the broadcaster’s home, “take her to a location where she would be raped repeatedly” and then murder her, Ms Morgan continued.

Plumb had initially outlined his plan to a man only known as Marc, telling him: "I'm going to be living out my ultimate fantasy.

"I'm now at the point that fantasy isn't enough anymore. I want the real thing."

In his sentencing remarks, Mr Justice Murray said the detail of many of the other messages Plumb sent were “so horrifying, shocking and graphic in detail they were not read out in open court".

The trial heard he purchased 400 heavy-duty metal cable ties, as well as bottles purported to contain chloroform to knock Ms Willoughby and her husband out upon breaking in to their house.

Plumb told Marc in March 2023 in a voice note: "We're then gonna force her [Ms Willoughby] to make a video saying she come with us under her own free will… and she's fully consenting to everything we do to her – so that covers us."

The jury was told he checked out an abandoned stud farm with cells to "keep" Ms Willoughby.

“He is no fantasist - he’s a calculated, violent, sexual predator who has spent his adult life inflicting or plotting to inflict harm on women,” said Det Ch Insp Greg Wood, of Essex Police.

Plumb went on to be active in a Kik group entitled “Abduct Lovers” where he unveiled his plot to David Nelson who, unbeknown to him, was an undercover police officer based in the US.

Mr Nelson, not his real name, notified the FBI about what Plumb was telling him and the information was relayed to Essex Police, who raided the defendant’s house.

It was later discovered that Plumb had “millions” of images of Ms Willoughby on a device found at his property, many of which were “deep fake” and sexual.

Giving evidence at his trial, Plumb admitted messages he sent online about the presenter were “dark” but claimed he had “no plan” to carry them out.

He said, with hindsight, his words were "massively regrettable" and acting upon his fantasies was "something I knew that was never going to happen".

The defendant said he had bought chloroform to clean a stain on his floor.

• An obsessive loner's plot to kill Holly Willoughby

Sasha Wass KC, mitigating, told the court earlier that Plumb was “embarrassed and ashamed” that his online conversations had been made public.

“He was completely incapable of scaling any of the perimeter walls of [Ms Willoughby’s] house, as he fantasised about doing,” she said.

“There were features of the plan that were so unworkable that the plan could not take place.”

Plumb was also cross-examined about his two previous convictions for attempted kidnap in 2006 and another two offences of false imprisonment in 2008.

The security guard said he had a "stewardess fantasy" when he tried to force two separate air hostesses to get off a train during the space of three days in August 2006.

In 2008, he "terrified" two 16-year-old girls when he tied their wrists and forced them into the store room of a shop.

He was handed a sentence of 12 months, suspended for two years, for his first offences, before he was jailed for 32 months for the false imprisonments.

Plumb said both offences were a "cry for help" as he "needed to get out" of a toxic relationship.

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