The man accused of plotting to kidnap and murderHolly Willoughby had ‘graphic’ and ‘sexually motivated’ intentions, a court has heard.
Shopping centre security officer Gavin Plumb is on trial at Chelmsford Crown Court on charges relating to the This Morning presenter.
Prosecution Ms Morgan said: ‘In October of 2023, this defendant engaged in an online discussion with a person he believed to be called David Nelson.
‘In that discussion, the defendant explained his plans to kidnap, rape and murder the celebrity Holly Willoughby. The defendant set out his plans and sought to encourage the other the other person to commit the offences with him.
‘The defendant’s plans as to what he wanted do to Holly Willoughby were graphic and were obviously sexually motivated.’
Ms Morgan added that ‘the person that he was communicating with online was an undercover police officer based in the USA and not, in fact, a like-minded abductor’.
She continued: ‘It was not just the ramblings of a fantasist. The defendant had carefully planned what he would do and how he would do it, purchasing items that would assist him in carrying out that attack.’
She noted that the charges ‘focus on the defendant’s attempts to solicit or encourage another person to commit the offences of murder, kidnap and rape’.
The jury has been shown photos of Plumb’s home and bedroom, while Ms Morgan said: ‘His obsessive behaviour extended to other celebrities as well and also to women who lived in his local area.
‘He commented on the appearance of women in a degrading manner, making graphic suggestions to others about what he wanted to do to those women in sexual terms.’
A jury of five men and nine women have been sworn in, and they have been read the charges he is accused of, while Mr Justice Murray urged them to ignore reporting of the case.
‘The alleged victim in this case is a well known public figure in this country. No doubt all of you will know something about her and possibly this case,’ he said.
‘It is very important you put out [of your minds] anything you may know about her or the case.’
The 37-year-old is charged with soliciting a man – David Nelson – to commit murder, and incitement to commit kidnap by planning to assemble a ‘kidnap and restraint kit’.
He is accused of encouraging a third party to travel to the UK from the US with a ‘detailed plan’ to carry out the alleged offences.
Plumb, of Harlow, Essex, denied all charges at an earlier hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court, while he is standing trial at the same court from Monday.
The 43-year-old presenter will not be attending the trial.
Gavin Plumb’s charges in full
- The court clerk said Plumb allegedly ‘solicited, encouraged, persuaded, endeavoured to persuade or proposed to another to murder Holly Willoughby’ between October 2 and 5, 2023
- The clerk added that between 27 December 2021 and October 5 2023, Plum allegedly ‘assembled a restraint kit, and formulated a plan with a third party to travel to the UK and to the home of Holly Willoughby, break-in to her home, stupefy and tie her up and by force deprive her of her liberty without her consent’
- The clerk read that between December 27 2021 and October 5 2023, Clumb is alleged to have ‘formulated a plan with a third party to have sex with Holly Willoughby without her consent, which was capable of encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence, namely rape, which was capable of encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence, namely , believing that the offence would be committed and that his act would encourage or assist in its commission’
It was reported that at the time of the alleged plot, a police guard was placed outside her London home, where she lives with her husband Dan Baldwin and their three children.
On the day Plumb was charged, This Morning host Alison Hammond said on the show: ‘We are obviously all shocked to hear the news and we want to send our love and biggest hugs to Holly and her family.’
Willoughby announced in October last year that she was stepping down from This Morning after 14 years on the ITV show.
In a social media statement at the time, she said: ‘I have let ITV know today that after 14 years, I will not be returning to This Morning.
‘To everyone who has ever worked on the show over the years, thank you so much. This is such a difficult goodbye, you are incredible and I forever will be proud of what we’ve done together.
‘Thank you to everyone at ITV for being supportive. To every guest who has sat on our sofa, thank you.
‘Most of all, thank you to the wonderful viewers. You’ve been so loyal, so supportive and the best company every day.’
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The presenter has since hosted Dancing On Ice with Stephen Mulhern, and she is set to front a Netflix show – to be released next year – in which adventurer Bear Grylls hunts down celebrities in the jungle.