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Holly Willoughby has shared a statement after a security guard was found guilty of plotting to kidnap, rape and murder her.
Gavin Plumb was convicted on all three counts by the jury after unwittingly revealing details of his planned attack to an undercover US officer in a chatroom called “Abduct Lovers”.
Willoughby, who quit ITV daytime series This Morning shortly after news of the plot surfaced, thanked all involved in convicting Plumb after the verdict was delivered. Plumb will be sentenced on Friday 12 July.
The Dancing on Ice and ex-This Morning star said in a statement: “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.
“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.”
Plumb was found guilty of masterminding the plot after he developed an “obsession” with the star over a number of years and assembled an “abduction kit” – complete with handcuffs and metal cable ties – to help carry out his attack in a home invasion.
In a series of conversations between 2021 and 2023, he shared images of Ms Willoughby’s home, discussed “ambush points” and shared deepfake pornographic images of the Dancing on Ice presenter.
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In one message, Plumb said: “...getting her has been my ultimate fantasy for way too long. I’m now at the point that fantasy isn’t enough anymore. I want the real thing.”
“The defendant had shared a video with the officer showing real items in his possession, which he described as his ‘kit’ of materials, laid out on a bed; to include hand and ankle shackles, ball gag, rope, metal cable ties and handcuffs. These items would later be found at the defendant’s home address,” prosecutor Alison Morgan KC told the jury.
Giving evidence via video link from the US, the undercover officer attached to the Owatonna Police Department in Minnesota, said he feared Ms Willoughby was in “immediate danger” from Plumb.
The officer, who monitored online forums where he investigated the murder for hire, kidnap and human trafficking, said Plumb had shared personal information about the star and her security arrangements under the username “BigBear341987”.
The US officer contacted the UK authorities. When he was arrested in Essex on 4 October and charges read out, Plumb, who denied all charges, said: “I’m not gonna lie. She is a fantasy of mine.”
Additional reporting by Agencies
