A shopping centre security guard, Gavin Plumb, has been accused of planning a gruesome plot to kidnap, rape, and murder UK TV presenter Holly Willoughby. The British court heard that Plumb, who allegedly spent two years planning the attack, purchased items like metal cable ties, a knife, and chloroform in preparation. Plumb’s sinister plans were thwarted by an undercover US police officer who discovered the plot online and alerted the Met Police, leading to Plumb’s arrest in October 2023.
Prosecutors revealed that Plumb had a disturbing obsession with Willoughby, amassing over 10,000 images of her on his phone, including deepfake pornography. He meticulously tracked her movements and activities through social media. The court was shown a video Plumb sent to an undercover officer, displaying a “kit of sexualised paraphernalia” intended for the attack. Plumb allegedly confided in the officer, detailing his plans to kidnap Willoughby from her home, take her to his residence in Harlow, Essex, and murder her in an abandoned building.
Plumb, who has prior convictions for kidnapping-related crimes, denied all charges. His past offenses include attempting to force two women off a train with a fake gun in 2006 and trying to tie up two teenage girls in a Woolworths stock room in 2004. The trial at Chelmsford Crown Court is expected to last two weeks, with the prosecution emphasizing the premeditated and violent nature of Plumb’s plans. Willoughby, who recently stepped down from her role on “This Morning,” has waived her right to anonymity in the case.
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