![Court told how plan to kill TV host was foiled](https://cdn.magzter.com/1588175106/1719279052/articles/zxxkls_C51719280740645/COURT-TOLD-HOW-PLAN-TO-KILL-TV-HOST-WAS-FOILED.jpg)
Gavin Plumb, 37, was obsessed with the television presenter, amassing more than 10,000 images of her on his phone including deep-fake pornography. He had carefully planned how to abduct her from her home, take her to his residence in Harlow, Essex, and murder her in an abandoned building, Chelmsford crown court heard.
Plumb has previous convictions for attempted kidnap and false imprisonment, the jury was told. He had tried to force two women off a train with a fake gun and threatening note in 2006 and had attempted to tie up two teenage girls in a Woolworth's stockroom in 2008.
The security guard had bought cable ties and a folding knife, and appeared to have sourced chloroform for his attack on Willoughby. He had also engaged in graphic and sexually motivated discussions about the planned attack online, the prosecution said.
The father of one had been unaware one of the people with whom he was communicating was an undercover officer based in the Owatonna police department in Minnesota, who alerted UK authorities, triggering Plumb's arrest on 4 October 2023.
Plumb has been charged with soliciting murder, encouraging or assisting the commission of kidnap, and encouraging or assisting the commission of rape. He denies all charges.
Opening the case, the prosecutor Alison Morgan KC told the jury: "The defendant's plans as to what he would do to Holly Willoughby were graphic and were obviously sexually motivated. They were real to him and were based on an obsession with Ms Willoughby that had developed over anumber of years." She added: "It was not just the ramblings of a fantasist."
This story is from the June 25, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 25, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
![Russell handed win after Norris and Verstappen clash](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1750924/R271SsM9s1719810094801/RUSSELL-HANDED-WIN-AFTER-NORRIS-AND-VERSTAPPEN-CLASH.jpg)
Russell handed win after Norris and Verstappen clash
The record books will show that this race was won by George Russell in a Mercedes, with Oscar Piastri second for McLaren and Carlos Sainz third for Ferrari. It is Russell's second F1 victory and the first for his team since the 26-year-old from King's Lynn took the flag in Brazil in 2022.
![Relaxed Raducanu swaps chaos for calm while Murray continues his battle for fitness](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1750924/ZDGqZNAO61719808923383/RELAXED-RADUCANU-SWAPS-CHAOS-FOR-CALM-WHILE-MURRAY-CONTINUES-HIS-BATTLE-FOR-FITNESS.jpg)
Relaxed Raducanu swaps chaos for calm while Murray continues his battle for fitness
Former US Open champion and veteran Scot arrive at Wimbledon in wildly contrasting frames of mind
![Murray 'hoping for closure' as he strives to get fit for a last hurrah at Wimbledon](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1750924/8SGd2FFIH1719808775328/MURRAY-HOPING-FOR-CLOSURE-AS-HE-STRIVES-TO-GET-FIT-FOR-A-LAST-HURRAH-AT-WIMBLEDON.jpg)
Murray 'hoping for closure' as he strives to get fit for a last hurrah at Wimbledon
Andy Murray says he is looking for \"a bit of closure\" to his career as he continues his race against time to be fit for a final appearance at Wimbledon before he retires from professional tennis.
![Hardy desert moss offers ray of hope for cultivating life on Mars](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1750924/5wdhW4xez1719808693717/HARDY-DESERT-MOSS-OFFERS-RAY-OF-HOPE-FOR-CULTIVATING-LIFE-ON-MARS.jpg)
Hardy desert moss offers ray of hope for cultivating life on Mars
While Matt Damon relied on potatoes cultivated in crew biowaste to survive in his hit film The Martian, researchers say it is a humble desert moss that might prove pivotal to establishing life on Mars.
![Resetting foreign ties Lammy will need to send clear signals](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1750924/0xF7ckpJ71719808586086/RESETTING-FOREIGN-TIES-LAMMY-WILL-NEED-TO-SEND-CLEAR-SIGNALS.jpg)
Resetting foreign ties Lammy will need to send clear signals
David Lammy will be the first Labour foreign secretary succeeding a Conservative government since Robin Cook in 1997, if Labour triumphs in the general election.
!['What's going to change?" Hope lacking in towns devastated by Tory rule](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1750924/SiuTzFVts1719808424516/WHATS-GOING-TO-CHANGE-HOPE-LACKING-IN-TOWNS-DEVASTATED-BY-TORY-RULE.jpg)
'What's going to change?" Hope lacking in towns devastated by Tory rule
There were about 30 people standing outside Birmingham central mosque, and they formed as diverse a crowd as the city's population. It was food bank day: inside a portable building in the car park, a team of four spirited women were efficiently sorting through crates of groceries, and handing those who had finally reached the front of the line what they needed.
![Reform UK Farage seeks distance from 'bad apples' as disillusioned candidate quits](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1750924/77C0UkinI1719808045416/REFORM-UK-FARAGE-SEEKS-DISTANCE-FROM-BAD-APPLES-AS-DISILLUSIONED-CANDIDATE-QUITS.jpg)
Reform UK Farage seeks distance from 'bad apples' as disillusioned candidate quits
Nigel Farage has sought to distance himself from \"bad apples\" in Reform UK amid continuing allegations of prejudice in its ranks and the resignation of a candidate who cited concerns about the behaviour and conduct of others in the party.
!['Hope has been kicked out of people' Sleeves rolled up, Starmer sets out to restore Britain's faith in politics](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1750924/5VMdVxhZL1719807813036/HOPE-HAS-BEEN-KICKED-OUT-OF-PEOPLE-SLEEVES-ROLLED-UP-STARMER-SETS-OUT-TO-RESTORE-BRITAINS-FAITH-IN-POLITICS.jpg)
'Hope has been kicked out of people' Sleeves rolled up, Starmer sets out to restore Britain's faith in politics
In just five days, Keir Starmer could be walking through the famous black door of No 10 as the country's new prime minister.
![Review Peerlessly professional pop-punk](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1750924/wOSAbvfwe1719807702413/REVIEW-PEERLESSLY-PROFESSIONAL-POPPUNK.jpg)
Review Peerlessly professional pop-punk
If Shania Twain's legends slot feels timely given the amount of pop-country in the UK singles chart, you could say the same thing about Avril Lavigne's performance, which seems like a legends slot in all but name. Poppunk is very much a thing again, and no artist can claim to have made punk more pop than Lavigne did in the early 2000s, refashioning its sound as bratty but harmless tweenage entertainment.
![Music review Thigh-slapping country glamour still impresses](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21665/1750924/zRj69ffae1719807615406/MUSIC-REVIEW-THIGHSLAPPING-COUNTRY-GLAMOUR-STILL-IMPRESSES.jpg)
Music review Thigh-slapping country glamour still impresses
Long before Shania Twain began her set on the Pyramid stage, there were signs of building anticipation in the double denim and cowboy hats.