A shopping centre security officer unwittingly hatched “graphic” plans to kidnap, rape and murder British TV presenter Holly Willoughby with an undercover police officer, a court has heard. Gavin Plumb (37) is alleged to have developed an “obsession” with the star over a number of years, leading him to plan to kidnap her from her family home. Advertisement Jurors heard he had accumulated “many hundreds” of images of Ms Willoughby which he had accessed online, and his “obsessive behaviour extended to other celebrities and to women who lived in his local area”.
Ms Willoughby has waived her right to anonymity in connection with an accusation against Plumb of assisting or encouraging rape. Alleged victims of sex offences or targets of sex offence conspiracies have a right to automatic anonymity for life from the moment an allegation is made by them or anyone else. Advertisement The defendant is on trial at Chelmsford Crown Court in England, charged with soliciting a man, David Nelson, to commit murder, and encouraging or assisting kidnap and rape.
Advertisement He is alleged to have conspired online with the man he knew as Mr Nelson, who was to travel to the UK from the US, and created a “detailed plan” to carry out the offences. Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC told the court that Plumb, who jurors heard had previous convictions for attempting to kidnap women, had purchased items which would “assist him in carrying out the attack”. Advertisement She told juror.
