The Abduct Lovers online chat site Plumb was posting in had about 50 active members, his trial in 2024 heard.

He was spotted by the undercover police officer after posting four pictures of Holly Willoughby with the caption: “The one in the public eye I want.”

The undercover officer responded "nice" and the pair then moved over to a private chat, where Plumb fully revealed his plot.

The so-called kidnap kit he’d assembled included:

• Hand and ankle shackles
• A rope
• A ball gag
• 400 heavy-duty metal cable ties
• Bottles of chloroform

He also checked out an abandoned stud farm with cells, where he planned to "keep" Ms Willoughby.

The appeal court judges' decision on Plumb's appeal against his life sentence is due soon.

Laura Foster
Senior reporter

Image source, Julia Quenzler/BBC

The last time I saw Gavin Plumb he was sobbing as he was escorted away from Chelmsford Crown Court in July 2024 to begin his life prison sentence.

It was almost as if the enormity of the situation had just dawned on him.

Laura Foster
Senior reporter

This morning's hearing at the Court of Appeal has been quite brief, but the original trial at Chelmsford Crown Court lasted for more than a week.

During the trial, we heard how Gavin Plumb wanted to kidnap Holly Willoughby and keep her at his flat on a housing estate in Harlow.

The jury were shown messages from Plumb which said there were security cameras at his Potters Field address and said it would be a place to "hold her".

When police broke down Plumb's door they found handcuffs, rope, cable ties and bottles of chloroform - all of which would have been used to incapacitate Ms Willoughby.

Image source, Getty Images

Holly Willoughby ended her 14-year stint on ITV's This Morning after the offences came to light in October 2023.

In a statement after Plumb was found guilty on all counts at his trial in 2024, she said: “I will forever be grateful to the undercover police officer who understood the imminent threat, and to the Metropolitan and Essex police forces for their swift response.

"Thank you to the Crown Prosecution Service, the Rt Hon Mr Justice Murray, Alison Morgan KC, the members of the jury and all involved in this case for ensuring that justice was done and that the defendant will not be able to harm any more women.

"I would also like to commend the bravery of his previous victims for speaking up at the time.

“Without their bravery this conviction may not have been possible."

Lewis Adams
Reporting from the Court of Appeal

Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC concludes her brief speech by saying Plumb's offending has had "life-changing consequences" for Holly Willoughby.

She then takes a seat and the judges say they will retire to consider their decision.

We're expecting to get that at about 12:15.

Jurors in Plumb’s trial were told he has two previous convictions for attempted kidnap in 2006 and another two for false imprisonment in 2008.

Plumb tried to force two separate air hostesses off a train during the space of three days in August 2006.

He then “terrified” two 16-year-old girls when he tied their wrists and forced them into the store room of a shop in 2008.

He was handed a sentence of 12 months, suspended for two years, for his first offences, before he was jailed for 32 months for the false imprisonments.

Our culture correspondent Charlotte Gallagher spoke to one of the victims after Plumb was jailed last year.

Lewis Adams
Reporting from the Court of Appeal

With that, Ms Wass ends her arguments on behalf of Gavin Plumb.

Alison Morgan KC, who was part of the prosecuted team in last year's criminal trial, is now on her feet and expected to deliver some brief arguments.

She begins by saying the imposition of a life sentence on Plumb was appropriate

"What else was this judge to do with the risk presented by this applicant, in light of the facts and the previous convictions?" she says.

"[How] could it be met with anything other than a life sentence?"

Lewis Adams
Reporting from the Court of Appeal

Sasha Wass KC now turns to what she describes as Plumb's "weight problems".

Jurors in his trial were told at his heaviest he weighed 35.5st (225kg), and would therefore have been unable to scale a wall at Ms Willoughby's house.

"He never had the agility to do that and, in fact, he was not leaving the house [at that time]," Ms Wass adds.

Lewis Adams
Reporting from the Court of Appeal

Continuing her arguments for Plumb, Sasha Wass KC says she cannot deny Ms Willoughby would have felt "fear".

However, she tells the appeal court judges: "There was no suggestion of lasting psychological harm or, indeed, that she has been unable to pursue her career since this offending took place."

Ms Wass says Plumb's sentence should have been reduced due to what she argues is a lower level of harm.

Lewis Adams
Reporting from the Court of Appeal

Gavin Plumb’s trial at Chelmsford Crown Court quickly became a huge spectacle.

Camera crews lined the street outside the court and correspondents delivered live inserts into national news programmes.

There are about 40 seats inside court two at Chelmsford; typically you would expect up to 10 of those to be taken up. But this was not a typical trial.

The high-profile identity of the victim, who bravely waived her right to anonymity, meant there was a significant interest in the goings-on inside court two for this eight-day trial.

Nearly every seat was taken up by journalists and some members of the public even turned up on occasion, hoping to catch a glimpse of Ms Willoughby.

It was a scale of interest I have rarely seen during the many court cases I have covered.

This Tuesday at the Court of Appeal there are about five other journalists here alongside me on the media benches.

Laura Foster
Senior reporter

Image source, Getty Images

The 2024 trial heard that the identity of the man who alerted the police to Plumb's plans has to be kept a secret for his and his family's safety, but during the trial he was called "David Nelson".

He was an undercover police officer based in Minnesota in the US and part of his job involved joining online groups, often using fake identities.

One of those groups was called "Abduct Lovers", which is where he came across Plumb.

When he realised Plumb was serious about his plans, he began to ask him for key details - where he lived and where he worked - and passed all the information on to the FBI, who in turn contacted the UK authorities.

Lewis Adams
Reporting from the Court of Appeal

Plumb's plotted violence against Ms Willoughby was born out of an "obsession" with her, his barrister says.

She adds that Plumb had "culpability of the highest form" for his offending.

Lewis Adams
Reporting from the Court of Appeal

Arguing on Plumb's behalf, Sasha Wass KC tells the Court of Appeal that her client only solicited the murder of Holly Willoughby for "a short duration".

"The actual soliciting for murder arose out of contact with an undercover police officer in the US," she says.

"[They were] not a criminal and would not have carried out the offence."

Image source, Julia Quenzler/BBC

At his trial in 2024, Plumb entered the witness box flanked by a security guard to give evidence in his defence.

He admitted his chat room messages were “dark” but insisted there was “no plan” to carry them out.

"Looking back at it now, it's something that is massively regrettable because it's not the usual chat I would participate in,” he told the jury.

His barrister, Sasha Wass KC, argued Plumb was “completely incapable” of scaling the walls of Ms Willoughby's house due to his weight.

Plumb said his weight - which at its highest reached 35.5st (225kg) - affected his mental health throughout his life, and he had previously spoken to the BBC about it in 2018.

The judge also said Plumb’s plan was “hopefully unrealistic”.

Laura Foster
Senior reporter

Image source, PA Media

Holly Willoughby did not come to watch any of Gavin Plumb's trial - nor did she appear at his sentencing.

Nor was she required to.

When Plumb was convicted she released a statement to the media saying "justice has been done" and that "Plumb will not be able to hurt any more women".

Earlier this year, the TV presenter said she still found it "really so hard"' to talk about what happened.

With this in mind, she is not at today's hearing and it is unlikely she will turn up at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

Gavin Plumb's barrister Sasha Wass KC begins by saying she is not here to dispute the facts of the case.

She argues: "The chance of success for Mr Plumb’s plan was extremely limited, if not non-existent."

Lewis Adams
Reporting from the Court of Appeal

Gavin Plumb has not attended this hearing - either in person or via a video link from prison.

The case is under way here at the appeal court in London.

Sasha Wass KC defended Plumb during last year's trial and is back on her feet delivering his arguments today.

Image source, Lewis Adams/BBC

Gavin Plumb's appeal against his sentence is being heard at the Court of Appeal in London today - which is at the Royal Courts of Justice on The Strand.

His challenge is due to be considered by three judges - Lord Justice Edis, Mr Justice Spencer and Ms Justice Norton.

If Plumb is successful, the court can look to reduce the sentence he is serving - currently one of life with a minimum term of 16 years before he will be considered for release on parole.

If he’s unsuccessful, the original sentence will usually stand.

We're expecting Plumb to attend the hearing via a video link from prison.

Laura Foster
Senior reporter

Here are some of the key dates that got us to this point:

3 Oct 2023 - Plumb posts messages online in an "Abduct Lovers" group, which are seen by an undercover police officer in the USA

4 Oct 2023 - Essex Police is alerted by the United States' FBI and UK intelligence of the threat to Holly Willoughby

4-5 Oct 2023 - Police arrest Gavin Plumb and search his Harlow flat

4 July 2024 - Plumb found guilty of soliciting murder and inciting kidnap and rape

12 July 2024 - Plumb jailed for life with a minimum term of 16 years

Today - Plumb is appealing against the length of his sentence