Holly Willoughby: Gavin Plumb had ‘ultimate fantasy’ of abducting TV host, court told

Live updates from court will resume in just over two hours when the court sits again.

Gavin Plumb is accused of plotting to kidnap, rape and murder Holly Willoughby.

The shopping centre security officer, of Potters Field, Harlow, will appear at Chelmsford Crown Court shortly.

We are pausing our blog and will be resuming live updates when court sits again at 10.30am tomorrow.

Please follow The Independent’s homepage for all the latest in the meantime.

An “obsessed” security guard who purchased a ‘kidnap kit’ and chloroform to abduct, rape and murder Holly Willoughby knew how to “terrify and overpower a woman”, a court heard.

Gavin Plumb, 37, had previously attacked women using both a knife and an imitation firearm before he formulated a detailed plan to kidnap and kill the television personality in a home invasion.

A trial heard it was his “ultimate fantasy” to target Ms Willoughby, 43, and he had purchased metal cable ties, a knife and chloroform – a liquid drug used to stupefy victims – in preparation for an alleged attack.

Crime correspondent Amy-Clare Martin has the full story from Chelmsford Crown Court:

Court has adjourned for the day at Chelmsford Crown Court.

The trial of Gavin Plumb will continue at 10.30am tomorrow.

Ms Morgan KC told Chelmsford Crown Court: “The defendant’s planning of these offences was interrupted by his arrest. He never got to the point of encountering Holly Willoughby.

“She did not meet him and the offences that the Prosecution alleges against this defendant, which if carried out would have involved catastrophic violence against her, were disrupted.”

The defendant was arrested on 4 October last year after the undercover US officer alerted the FBI and the Metropolitan Police.

He was shocked when police arrived at his home in Harlow, Essex, the court heard.

When the charges were explained to him, he responded: “I’m not gonna lie. She is a fantasy of mine.”

Police who analysed Gavin Plumb’s mobile phone found that he had 10,322 images of Holly Willoughby in a folder called “Holly”, a court heard.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC told Chelmsford Crown Court: “There was a folder in fact on the defendant’s telephone which was called ‘Holly’ and it contained 10,322 images of Holly Willoughby.”

She said that officers explained to Plumb that charges related to a conspiracy to kidnap Ms Willoughby and he responded: “I’m not gonna lie. She is a fantasy of mine.”

Plumb shared a video with an undercover police officer of his “kit” laid out on a bed.

Alison Morgan KC told the court the footage showed equipment including hand and ankle shackles, a ball gag, rope, metal cable ties and handcuffs.

These items would later be found at the defendant’s home address, the jury was told.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard that the security guard bragged about his previous convictions against women to an undercover officer online.

Plumb told the officer he had held two women against their will at a warehouse in a bid to bolster his credibility.

“I got 16 months. Our justice system is s*** tbh,” he told the officer.

A shopping centre security officer planned to kidnap TV presenter Holly Willoughby and take her to a “dungeon” where her “screams can’t be heard for miles”, a court heard.

Gavin Plumb is accused of hatching a plot to kidnap, rape and solicit the murder of the star, and allegedly considered trying to get employment as her security guard to get close to her.

A court heard that the 37-year-old described it as his “ultimately fantasy” to kidnap Ms Willoughby, adding: “Fantasy isn’t enough anymore. I want the real thing.”