A man accused of a plot to kidnap, rape and murder Holly Willoughby had “real life experience of violence towards women”, his trial has heard.

Gavin Plumb, 37, appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday after being charged in October with soliciting a man to commit murder, incitement to kidnap and incitement to rape the TV presenter.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC told jurors that in 2006 Plumb twice attempted to kidnap female victims on a train, and had an imitation firearm with him on the second occasion.

She said that in 2008 Plumb approached two 16-year-old girls at a shop in Harlow, “pulled out a knife and held it towards them”, before tying the hands of one of the girls.

The 37-year-old shopping centre security officer is accused of conspiring online with another man – encouraging him to travel to the UK from the US to carry out the alleged offences – and creating a “detailed plan”, including to assemble a “kidnap and restraint kit”.

Plumb, of Harlow, Essex, denies all charges.

Ms Willoughby has waived her right to anonymity.

Key Points

• Man goes on trial accused of plot to kidnap, rape and murder Holly Willoughby

• Plumb knew how to ‘overpower a woman’, court hears as jurors told of previous real-life attacks

Plumb purchased ‘heavy duty’ metal cable ties, court hears

13:16 , Amy-Clare Martin at Chelmsford Crown Court

Jurors were told that Plumb was a member of various online groups that had a “preoccupation with abduction and kidnapping”.

In April 2022, he purchased 400 metal cable ties from Amazon, which were described as “heavy duty”, Ms Morgan told the court.

Plumb said attack was his ‘ultimate fantasy’ and shared deepfake images, court hears

13:00 , Amy-Clare Martin at Chelmsford Crown Court

Alison Morgan KC told the jury that Plumb had told another online user called ‘Marc’ his plans.

“The defendant emphasises to Marc that this wasn’t just a fantasy,” she told Chelmsford Crown Court.

Plumb told the user: “I have wanted this for years. I am going to be living out my ultimate fantasy.”

He also said: “It’s been my ultimate fantasy for way too long. Fantasy isn’t enough any more. I want the real thing.”

The pair also exchanged “highly sexualised” deepfake pornographic images of the star, she told the jury.

The barrister said these were “using her (Ms Willoughby’s) face, putting it onto the body of another female to give images of her in pornographic situations”.

Plumb knew how to ‘overpower a woman’, court hears as jurors told of previous real-life attacks

12:32 , Amy-Clare Martin at Chelmsford Crown Court

Plumb, 37, had previously attacked women using both a knife and an imitation firearm, the trial heard.

Jurors at Chelmsford Crown Court were told how Plumb had tried to abduct women from a train on two occasions in 2006 – once using a fake gun to try to force his victim to comply.

He later held two teenage girls at knifepoint in a shop stockroom in 2008. He was tying one girl’s hands behind her back with ropes when the other escaped and raised the alarm.

“These were real offences, committed against real women, involving this defendant threatening them and trying to control and detain them,” Ms Morgan KC told the court.

“He had an imitation firearm. He had ropes, he had tape. He had bound the hands of one of the victims.

“When you consider the discussions about Holly Willoughby and what this defendant planned to do to her, you will do so in the context of those earlier offences.

“They tell you that this defendant knew what it would take to terrify and overpower a woman. He was also someone who had chosen to do this for real, not just as a fantasy.”

Plumb’s online discussions ‘not just ramblings of fantasist’, prosecutor tells jurors

12:28 , Tara Cobham

Gavin Plumb’s online discussions were “not just the ramblings of a fantasist”, said prosecutor Alison Morgan KC.

She told Chelmsford Crown Court: “The prosecution’s case is that the online discussions that this defendant had revealed his real intention to carry out a plot to kidnap Holly Willoughby from her family home, to take her to a location where she would be raped repeatedly, before the defendant then intended to kill her.

“It’s not just the ramblings of a fantasist.

“This 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.”

Plumb revealed ‘real intention’ to target star to undercover US police officer online

12:23 , Amy-Clare Martin at Chelmsford Crown Court

The court heard how Plumb unwittingly explained his plans to kidnap, rape and murder Ms Willoughby – who has waived her right to anonymity – in an online discussion with an undercover officer using the pseudonym David Nelson.

He tried to encourage the officer to commit the offences with him, the court heard.

“The prosecution’s case is that this defendant’s online discussions reveal his real intention to carry out a plot to kidnap Holly Willoughby from her family home; to take her to a location where she would be raped repeatedly, before the defendant then intended to kill her,” Ms Morgan told the court.

“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 the attack.”

Gavin Plumb had been obsessed with Holly Willoughby for several years

12:15 , Amy-Clare Martin at Chelmsford Crown Court

Opening the trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, Alison Morgan KC alleged the security guard had been obsessed with the celebrity for years.

She 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 a number of years.”

Man goes on trial accused of plot to kidnap, rape and murder Holly Willoughby

12:14 , Tara Cobham

A man has gone on trial accused of a plot to kidnap, rape and murder the TV presenter Holly Willoughby.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said Gavin Plumb “engaged in online discussions” with a person he thought was called David Nelson, who unbeknownst to him was an “undercover police officer based in the USA and not, in fact, a like-minded abductor”.

“The defendant’s planning of the offences was then interrupted and he was arrested by the police,” said Ms Morgan.

Ms Willoughby has waived her right to anonymity in relation to the incitement to rape allegation.

Plumb, 37, of Harlow, Essex, denies soliciting murder, incitement to kidnap and incitement to rape and is on trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Jury has been sworn in and prosecution’s opening begins

12:08 , Crime correspondent Amy-Clare Martin at Chelmsford Crown Court

The jury has been sworn in in the trial of Gavin Plumb at Chelmsford Crown Court today.

Alison Morgan KC has begun to deliver the prosecution’s opening to the court.

Rishi Sunak sent well wishes to Holly Willoughby in wake of news of alleged kidnap plot

11:45 , Tara Cobham

Rishi Sunak sent well wishes to Holly Willoughby on This Morning in the wake of the news of the alleged kidnap plot.

The prime minister said in October: “I’m so sorry to hear everything going on with Holly, I just want to send my best to her and her family.”

Holly Willoughby said to be ‘shocked and distraught’ at time of learning of alleged plot

11:11 , Tara Cobham

Holly Willoughby was said to have been left “shocked and distraught” after learning of the alleged plot.

At the time, The Sun reported a police guard was placed outside the TV presenter’s London home, where she lives with her husband – TV producer Dan Baldwin – and their three children.

Alison Hammond’s message of support for colleague when Plumb was charged

10:33 , Tara Cobham

Fellow This Morning co-hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary shared a touching message in support of their colleague Holly Willoughby on the day Gavin Plumb was charged.

Ms Hammond said while on air: “We are obviously all shocked to hear the news and we want to send our love and biggest hugs to Holly and her family.”

Holly Willoughby announced exit from This Morning in days after Gavin Plumb charged

09:49 , Tara Cobham

Holly Willoughby announced that she was stepping down from This Morning in the days after Gavin Plumb was charged in October.

Following 14 years on the ITV show, Ms Willoughby, 43, said in a social media post on 10 October that she felt: “I have to make this decision for me and my family.”

Four days before, Plumb had been charged with soliciting to commit murder and incitement to commit kidnap.

The TV presenter did not refer directly to the alleged incident in her statement.

She has since hosted Dancing on Ice 2024, and is to present a Netflix show – to be released next year – in which adventurer Bear Grylls hunts down celebrities in the jungle.

Man to stand trial accused of plot to kidnap and murder Holly Willoughby

09:34 , Tara Cobham

A shopping centre security officer is to stand trial accused of a plot to kidnap and murder TV presenter Holly Willoughby.

Gavin Plumb is charged with soliciting a man – David Nelson – to commit murder, and incitement to commit kidnap.

The 37-year-old is accused of planning to assemble a “kidnap and restraint kit” and encouraging a third party to travel to the UK to carry out the alleged offences.

He is alleged to have conspired online with another man, who was to travel to the UK from the US, and created a “detailed plan” to carry out the offences.

Plumb, of Harlow, Essex, denied all charges at an earlier hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court.

He is due to stand trial at the same court from today, with the hearing estimated to last about two weeks.