In a disturbing hearing, Justice Edward Murray detailed the sometimes graphic and explicit plans of Gavin Plumb - a man who plotted to kidnap, rape and murder television presenter Holly Willoughby.

The judge handed down a minimum term of 15 years and 85 days, which was passed to Plumb as part of a life sentence.

"I found you to be dangerous," the judge said while outlining how he found Plumb to be a danger to women.

We're going to be closing down our page now, but in case you missed any of today's coverage, you can find all the details around Plumb's sentencing in our colleague Lewis Adams' wrap of the hearing.

You can also read more about the story in the following articles:

Our main news story on the sentencing of Plumb

An interview with another woman targeted by Plumb

A background story about the self-confessed loner with an obsession with Willoughby

This page was edited by Nathan Williams and Johanna Chisholm and was written by Lewis Adams, Ben Hatton and Adam Durbin. Thank you for joining us.

• If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, you can seek support at BBC Action Line

Image source, PA Media

Here's a look at what Holly Willoughby said earlier this month after Gavin Plumb was found guilty.

"As women we should not be made to feel unsafe going about our daily lives and in our own homes."

"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" she said in a statement, also thanking others involved in the trial.

She added: "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."

When handing down the sentence to Gavin Plumb earlier, Justice Edward Murray explained that one of the many aggravating factors he was considering was the 37-year-old's prior convictions.

Here's a timeline of those offences:

• 2006: Plumb attempts to kidnap two air hostesses on trains in separate incidents
• 2007: He pleads guilty to two counts of attempted kidnap, and is later sentenced to a prison term of 12 months, suspended for two years, with supervision and activity requirements
• 2008: Plumb attempts to falsely imprison two 16-year-old girls at a shop, tying one victim’s hands behind their back with rope and tape. He later pleads guilty to two counts of false imprisonment, and is later jailed for 32 months – he serves 16 months of the sentence in prison
• 2011: Plumb searches online for “how to meet people who plan to kidnap celebs”
• December 2021: Plumb engages in a “highly sexualised” discussion online with a man named Marc about a potential “home invasion” after identifying where Willoughby lived
• 2022: He tells Marc kidnapping Willoughby has been his “ultimate fantasy for way too long” and adds "fantasy isn’t enough anymore. I want the real thing"
• October 2023 An undercover US police officer spots Plumb post a photo of Willoughby on an online group called “Abduct Lovers” – Plumb says he has a “load of info on her”
• The next day, Essex Police was informed by the FBI of a possible threat to Willoughby and Plumb was arrested
• 4 July 2024: Plumb found guilty of plotting to kidnap, rape and murder television presenter Willoughby

Charlotte Gallagher
BBC News

Before Gavin Plumb plotted the kidnap, rape, and murder of Holly Willoughby, he targeted four other women and teenage girls.

One of them - who we are referring to as Maria - said Plumb attempted to kidnap her from a train.

She has never spoken before about what happened to her, but agreed to speak me on the condition she remained anonymous.

It was 2006 and Maria was on the train on the way to the airport she worked at.

The train carriage was practically empty so she thought it seemed odd when someone sat opposite her.

Describing the incident, she said: "He passed me a note, I thought it’s just some piece of paper, I didn’t even look what he was doing. I ignored it.

"Then he pushed it forward for me to read and when I read it, it was something along the lines of 'get off the train with me, be quiet, don’t do anything, get off the train with me and nothing will happen to anybody'."

• Read my full interview with Maria here

Det Chief Insp Greg Wood pays tribute to Willoughby and the other women who have been victims of Plumb.

"The courage and bravery of all of them to support our investigations and prosecutions, now and previously, have helped us to protect other women and girls – thank you to all of them," he says.

He says the case has brought violence against women and girls and misogyny "to the fore".

"It has demonstrated that we have much to do to stamp it out of society," he says.

"We need everyone to stand up to call out misogyny and to report those committing or intent on causing violence towards women and girls.”

We're now hearing from Essex Police, with senior investigating officer, Det Chief Insp Greg Wood, speaking outside of the court room.

He says the "streets of Essex are safer" after Plumb's sentencing as a result of Gavin Plumb's sentece.

He describes him as a "dangerous individual with a history of kidnapping women and girls".

We've just heard Justice Murray hand Gavin Plumb his jail sentence for attempting to kidnap and murder presenter Holly Willoughby.

Here's a summary of what the judge told him at Chelmsford Crown Court:

• Murray handed Plumb three life sentences, to be served concurrently
• Plumb must serve at minimum of 15 years and 85 days behind bars, before he is eligible for parole
• The judge told him he would be subject to licence conditions permanently, should Plumb ever be given parole
• He will also be subject to an indefinite restraining order regarding Willougby, banning him from contacting her in anyway or attending filming of any programmes she makes in the future
• During sentencing remarks, Justice Murray described Plumb as "dangerous" to all women, given the violent nature of his crimes and past history of attempted kidnap
• Willoughby's victim impact statement was kept private on her request - but Justice Murray said he was satisfied Plumb's crimes had had a profound impact on her personal and professional life

We have heard a lot of distressing detail about Gavin Plumb's offending.

If you have been affected in any way by anything you have read on this page today or seen in the live stream of the judge's remarks, you can get support from the BBC Action Line.

Lewis Adams
Reporting from Chelmsford Crown Court

The judge passed a lengthy sentence reflecting the danger Plumb’s plot posed – and the consequences it would’ve had if successful.

He praised the courage of Holly Willoughby for assisting the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and said no woman should feel unsafe due to their gender.

As for Plumb - he showed no emotion as he was asked to stand. All eyes were on him in the centre of the glass dock.

Flanked by a security guard, Plumb barely flinched as Justice Murray handed down his sentence.

He muttered something to the security guard as he was sent down.

The judge clearly thought extensively as to the defendant’s danger, citing that harm being brought to Willoughby’s husband and children as part of the plot was a significant aggravating factor.

Plumb will be in his fifties by the time he could be considered by the parole board for release.

Now Plumb has been sentenced the court hearing is over.

The feed at the top of the page has now also closed.

The judge tells Plumb, if he is released, he will be subject to permanent licence conditions.

Justice Murray says unless the parole board deems he is no longer a threat to society, telling him he may remain in custody for the rest of his life.

The judge also imposes a restraining order for the rest of Plumb's life. He cannot attempt to contact her, or attend any audience event where Willoughby is presenting

The judge hands down a minimum term of 16 years, reduced to 15 years and 85 days given the 280 days he had spent on remand in custody.

Gavin Plumb has been sentenced to life in prison.

Justice Murray says although his offenses concern only one woman, he poses a serious risk to all women.

The judge is now laying out his process for reaching a sentence.

Justice Murray says there is no guideline for sentencing in this kind of case in the setencing guidlines, given the context of Plumb's offending.

He notes that given all his crimes were part of the same plot, concurrent sentences for the totality of your crime is appropriate.

This means Plumb's jail terms for his separate crimes will be served at the same time.

Justice Murray goes over how Plumb thought he had bought chloroform, which he planned to use to render Holly Willoughby unconscious.

The judge points out Plumb searched for the legality of buying the chemical.

Murray adds that police officers who searched his home found it didn't contain chloroform, but a mixture of ethanal and water.

The judge adds that Plumb clearly believed he had bought the chemical, describing his claim to police that he had bought it to clean a stubborn stain as a "particularly clumsy and obvious lie".

After detailing how Plumb detailed plans to another man, Marc, online, the judge explains the messages were so "horrifying, shocking and graphic" in detail that they were not read out in court.

The jurors read them and accredited members of the media were granted access.

He tells Plumb he made numerous messages that indicated the "seriousness of your intent" and showed disappointment that others he had tried to recruit "got cold feet".

Justice Murray tells the court that Plumb had planned to abduct and rape Holly Willoughby for about two and a half years.

The judge says his criminal interest in the presenter dated back to at least 2018, given violent messages he sent about her at that time.

Police officers found millions of images on Plumb's phone, Murray says, adding that they were only able to view about 10% of the.

But among what was reviewed were thousands of images of Willoughby, both genuine pictures and digitally manipulated "deep fake" pornographic images of her.

Warning: This post contains graphic detail

When Nelson - the undercover police officer - asked Plumb if Willoughby would be returned he said "no", the judge says.

Plumb told Nelson he planned to slit her throat, the judge said.

The judge describes how Plumb sought to convince Nelson to help him carry out the plan to kill Willoughby.

"Whether it was to be David Nelson who actually slit her throat or you doing so with his participation, assistance or encouragement, that is the basis of your conviction for soliciting murder," the judge says.

Justice Murray focuses on the evidence of David Nelson, the US undercover police officer who Plumb was speaking too.

Nelson told the court that Plumb's messages were outside the norms of people on the Kick group they were communicating in.

The officer said it was his professional assessment Plumb's messages posed a "real danger" to potential victims.

Image source, Chelmsford Crown Court

The judge is continuing to speak about Plumb's plans to kidnap Willoughby.

He describes how he told an undercover officer his plan was "definitely serious".

"I have no doubt that this was considerably more than a fantasy to you," the judge says, adding his plan was "hopelessly unrealistic" but that he "clearly thought it was feasible".

He says he thinks it was "bravado" when Plumb talked about how he was prepared to carry out his plans on his own, and the judge says he believes Plumb always intended to carry out the plot only if he could find others to help him do it.