Holly Willoughby kidnap, rape and murder plotter to challenge sentence
Gavin Plumb was jailed for at least 16 years after being found guilty last year.
A man who plotted to kidnap, rape, and murder TV presenter Holly Willoughby will seek to challenge his sentence at the Court of Appeal in London on Tuesday (21 October).
Gavin Plumb, a 38-year-old security guard from Harlow, was jailed for life in July 2024 after he was convicted of soliciting murder and encouraging or assisting others to rape and kidnap. He was ordered to serve a minimum of 16 years behind bars.
At his trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, jurors heard that police found bottles of chloroform and an "abduction kit" including cable ties during a raid on Plumb’s flat in Essex.
The court was told that he had discussed plans online to ambush Holly Willoughby at her family home and had even considered taking time off work to organise the attack.
Plumb argued in court that the conversations were online chat and fantasy rather than a genuine plan. However, Mr Justice Murray, who sentenced Plumb, said, “I have no doubt that this was all considerably more than a fantasy”, describing the plans as “particularly sadistic, brutal and degrading”.
The court heard that Plumb was uncovered after a US undercover police officer from the Owatonna Police Department in Minnesota infiltrated an online group called Abduct Lovers. Plumb told the officer he was “definitely serious” about his plot, leading the officer to believe there was an “imminent threat” to Ms Willoughby.
Plumb was arrested on 4th October 2023. Upon arrest and being told the allegations involved Ms Willoughby, Plumb said, “I'm not gonna lie, she is a fantasy of mine.”
During sentencing, prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said the crimes had a “catastrophic impact” on Holly Willoughby, adding, “The extent of the shock and fear caused by this offending has been impossible to convey.”