Lewis Adams
Reporting from Chelmsford Crown Court

Alison Morgan KC is now telling the judge about what the prosecution believes are the aggravating features of Gavin Plumb's offending.

She says the offences were "inherently, extremely serious" because Willoughby would've been "killed in the process".

"This was a plan to abduct and kill for the purposes of sexual gratification," Morgan tells the court.

Lewis Adams
Reporting from Chelmsford Crown Court

We've been hearing statements read on behalf of the victims from Plumb's previous offences.

As a reminder, he has two previous convictions for attempted kidnap in 2006 and another two for false imprisonment in 2008.

One of the attempted kidnap victims says she began to see all men as "perpetrators" following the incident.

"I clearly remember when Gavin Plumb grabbed my leg," she says in a statement, read by Alison Morgan KC.

"I remember how awful it was to have his hand on me. It was a disgusting feeling."

While we can continue to bring you text updates from our colleague inside the courtroom, we're not able to show this part of the hearing on the video feed at the top of this page.

We will, however, continue to bring you the latest from inside the courtroom here.

And we will let you know when we reach the point in the proceedings where you can stream the judge's sentencing remarks at the top of the page.

As mentioned earlier, the feed - when available - will be on a delay and may contain explicit language and references to sexual violence.

Lewis Adams
Reporting from Chelmsford Crown Court

The prosecutor has just requested that Willoughby's statement be read by the judge in private.

Alison Morgan KC says the impact of Plumb's offending has been "life-changing" for the victim in "private, personal and professional" terms.

"The extent of the shock and fear of this offending has been impossible to be conveyed," she tells the court.

"Being informed of the consequences, the intentions and the detail of the evidence in this case… it is inevitable that has exacerbated the trauma for this victim."

As we start to listen across to the hearing, it's worth revisiting how the BBC covers sexual offence cases.

When we report sexual offence cases, we have to decide what is appropriate to tell you because of the often graphic detail.

At the same time, it’s important we don’t sanitise Plumb's plot to carry out kidnap, rape and murder.

So the balance we are trying to find is between reflecting the gravity of the offences, while being sensitive about what you, the audience, is exposed to.

There are legal exceptions, such as the victims' right to anonymity in these cases, but journalists have a right to report what is said in open court. However, juries often hear evidence that is graphic and upsetting.

Those in court, as well as in our newsroom, bear all of this in mind when we're deciding how to report this kind of case.

Lewis Adams
Reporting from Chelmsford Crown Court

Image source, PA Media

Justice Edward Murray has just confirmed that a statement will be read on behalf of Holly Willoughby, the victim in this case.

It will be read by prosecutor Alison Morgan KC.

The judge says Willoughby has acted "courageously" in waiving her automatic right to anonymity with regards to the offence of inciting rape.

Lewis Adams
Reporting from Chelmsford Crown Court

The courtroom is packed, mostly filled with reporters – including from the BBC – and members of the public.

Gavin Plumb has been brought up from the cells, wearing a grey custody-issue sweater.

He has been asked to stand and confirm his name.

You will be able to watch the sentencing remarks of Justice Edward Murray via a streaming link at the top of this page, closer to the time he starts speaking.

It's still a relatively new thing in England and Wales for judges' remarks to be televised in some criminal cases - and they only cover the sentencing process, rather than the whole court case. The idea is to shine a light into the criminal justice system, how it works and how judges make their decisions.

Given Plumb's plot to kidnap, rape and murder Holly Willoughby, the judge could make graphic references to sexual violence.

Reporting on stories of sexual violence presents a challenging balancing act. The BBC feels it is important to reflect the severity of Plumb's offences, while also being sensitive as to what our viewers are exposed to.

There will therefore be a delay on the video feed we're streaming so we can monitor the content and we may mute some sections of the audio if the content is too graphic.

Lewis Adams
Reporting from Chelmsford Crown Court

If you’re not familiar with the court system, here’s what’s likely to happen today.

I’m in court along with other journalists from broadcasters and national newspapers. We will first all listen to the prosecution outline the facts of the case.

The prosecutor is Alison Morgan KC and we can also expect her to set out aggravating factors as to why Gavin Plumb should get a higher sentence.

In this part of the hearing we might hear an impact statement read on behalf of the victim, Holly Willoughby.

Then Plumb’s defence barrister, Sasha Wass KC, will stand up to provide mitigation on behalf of her client, setting out reasons as to why Plumb should get a lower sentence.

Once that is all done the judge – Justice Edward Murray - will weigh up both arguments on what sentence he will pass.

We're soon going to be bringing you updates from the Chelmsford Crown Court, the same courtroom where Gavin Plumb was found guilty earlier this month.

Jurors at this courtroom unanimously convicted Plumb of soliciting murder and inciting rape and kidnap.

He will be sentenced for those charges later today.

In October 2023, Gavin Plumb was unwittingly caught by law enforcement, shortly after the 37-year-old began posting in a Kik chat app called Abduct Lovers.

Writing under the alias of BigBear341987, the security guard began disclosing his abduction plot of Holly Willoughby to a man named David Nelson.

The man was in fact an undercover cop in the US and the name was a pseudonym he used to protect his identity.

In their conversations, Plumb detailed his plans and sent the officer a video of a "kidnap kit" he had assembled - including hand and ankle shackles, a rope and a ball gag.

The officer then passed this information onto the FBI, who then alerted the Essex Police. The force quickly assembled into action and raided Plumb's house.

In court last month, Nelson told jurors he was concerned Plumb was "looking for hitmen" to carry out his alleged plot.

"He said 'I know when she gets up in the morning', as well as not having security cameras where she was.

"I felt there was an imminent threat to this individual. It's very rare for an individual to post they have some potential information," Nelson told the jury in June.

Image source, PA Media

Johanna Chisholm
Live page editor

The security guard who was found guilty of plotting to kidnap, rape and murder television presenter Holly Willoughby is to be sentenced today.

Gavin Plumb, a 37-year-old from Harlow, Essex, was arrested and charged after he unwittingly disclosed his plans online to an undercover police officer in the US in October last year.

He denied soliciting murder and inciting kidnap and rape between 2021 and 2023 during his eight-day trial at Chelmsford Crown Court earlier this month but was found guilty.

He will be sentenced in the same courtroom this morning, by judge Mr Justice Edward Murray.

A warning that the content coming from the courtroom in Essex this morning could contain explicit or distressing details.

We'll be bringing you updates from the sentencing, where proceedings are expected to get under way shortly. Stick with us.