Jury considers verdict in Willoughby kidnap trial

Pictures of TV presenter Holly Willoughby were posted in an online group called "Abduct Lovers", a jury at Chelmsford Crown Court heard

Jurors in the trial of a man accused of plotting to abduct, rape and murder Holly Willoughby have retired to consider their verdicts.

Gavin Plumb, 37, is alleged to have masterminded his "ultimate fantasy" by assembling tools to help him attack the TV presenter between 2021 and 2023.

The security guard, from Harlow, Essex, was arrested and charged after unwittingly disclosing his alleged plan to an undercover police officer from the US.

Mr Plumb has denied soliciting murder and inciting rape and kidnap throughout his seven-day trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Mr Justice Murray urged jurors to "put aside your own feelings and judge the case calmly and dispassionately" as they retired.

Gavin Plumb allegedly said he wanted to give Ms Willoughby a birthday present "she'll never forget"

During the trial, prosecutor Alison Morgan KC alleged Mr Plumb wanted to take Ms Willoughby from her home by force and lead her to a "dungeon".

Mr Plumb went to "great lengths to suggest to other people it was not a fantasy", she told the jury.

'Fantasy isn't enough'

The court was earlier played a voice note Mr Plumb sent to a man only known as Marc in March 2023.

It outlined a plan to "hit" Ms Willoughby's house at night before using chloroform to incapacitate her.

"We’re then gonna force her to make a video saying she came with us under her own free will… and she’s fully consenting to everything we do to her – so that covers us," Mr Plumb said in the voice note.

It was also alleged he messaged Marc saying: "I'm now at the point that fantasy isn't enough anymore. I want the real thing."

The jury was told in October 2023 Mr Plumb 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," Ms Morgan said.

She said Mr Plumb's plans were "graphic and were obviously sexually motivated" – but that Mr Nelson was, in fact, an undercover police officer from the US.

The court was also shown a video Mr Plumb sent to Mr Nelson showing a “kit of sexualised paraphernalia” laid out on a bed, including hand and ankle shackles, a rope and a ball gag.

'Wholly unachievable'

Summing up the defence’s case earlier, Sasha Wass KC said Mr Plumb’s online discussions were a "dark, twisted fantasy but a fantasy nonetheles".

"The fun - if that is the right word - was fantasising, pretending that the plan would be put into effect," she told the jury.

"There is no doubt that Gavin Plumb sent the messages and there is no doubt that the content of the messages are vile and misogynistic - and Mr Plumb himself accepted they were dark."

Ms Wass said the messages were "the ramblings of a rather sad" individual.

"The plan was riddled with flaws - it was wholly unachievable," she added.

The barrister added Mr Plumb had fallen down a "rabbit hole" of fantastical online chat rooms where "similar lonely, disaffected people were feeding off their fantasies".

She continued: "It was the fantasy of rape and abduction that gave him the gratification."

Mr Plumb said he could not stand while he gave evidence during the trial

Ms Wass warned jurors it "would not be fair to hold [Mr Plumb's] previous convictions against him".

The defendant had tried to kidnap two air hostesses off a train in 2006, and in 2008 he attempted to falsely imprison two 16-year-old girls at a shop, his trial was earlier told.

Mr Plumb's age at the time and the fact he pleaded guilty to the offences meant it "wouldn't be right" to judge him on them, Ms Wass said.

"I would urge you to stick to the evidence in this indictment and the central question - is this a serious plan or is it a fantasy?," she added.

Closing her speech, Ms Wass said Mr Plumb's alleged plan was instead "the ravings of an isolated individual".

The jury retired at 15:23 BST after hearing seven days of evidence.