Man to appeal against sentence over Willoughby plot

Gavin Plumb is serving a minimum of 16 years behind bars for his plot against Holly Willoughby

A security guard jailed for his plot to kidnap, rape and murder TV presenter Holly Willoughby is to have an appeal heard in October.

Gavin Plumb was found guilty of soliciting murder and inciting rape and kidnap after a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.

The 38-year-old, from Harlow in Essex, was sentenced in July 2024 to life in prison with a minimum term of 16 years.

According to listings at the Court of Appeal in London, an appeal against his conviction will be heard on 21 October.

At his sentencing, judge Mr Justice Murray said some of the plans Plumb discussed online were "sadistic, brutal and degrading".

Plumb was snared by an undercover police officer from the US who infiltrated an online chatroom called Abduct Lovers.

He became so concerned about Plumb's posts - outlining his "ultimate fantasy" of violence against Ms Willoughby - that he passed information to the FBI.

US law enforcement in turn contacted British police, who raided the defendant's flat in Potters Field and found an "abduction kit" complete with cable ties and bottles of chloroform.

Ms Willoughby ended her 14-year stint on This Morning after the offences came to light in October 2023

Jurors heard Plumb's plan involved an "ambush" of Ms Willoughby at her family home - even discussing taking time off work to organise the attack.

They were also told of his previous convictions for attempted kidnap and how he had "millions" of images of Ms Willoughby on a device found at his property.

During the eight-day trial, Plumb argued it was just online chat and fantasy.

But Mr Justice Murray dismissed this, saying: "I have no doubt this was all considerably more than a fantasy to you."