Security guard 'looked at abandoned farm with cells to hold Holly Willoughby', court told
26.06.2024 - 13:07
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A security guard checked out an abandoned stud farm with cells to "keep" TV presenter Holly Willoughby after kidnapping her, a court has heard. Gavin Plumb, who is accused of masterminding a plot to kidnap, rape and murder Ms Willoughby, allegedly told another man she would be put in a van after a "home invasion" before being taken to "her new home and her new way of living".
A jury was previously shown an image of items purchased by the 37-year-old, including metal cable ties, handcuffs and a blindfold. His online searches were also read out to the jury, including "killers from Harlow in Essex", "rape in the United Kingdom" and "violence against women rape".
Chelmsford Crown Court also heard that Plumb had discussed booking a tour to the ITV studios during Ms Willoughby's time as a host of This Morning and whether it would involve meeting presenters.
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Jurors were told he also sent a voice note which said he was "gonna get some chloroform" and in a separate voice note of March last year, added: "I might even buy some fresh hankies as well so they are fresh for her."
In a WhatsApp exchange read to the court by prosecutor Alison Morgan KC, the defendant said: "We've got somewhere in the country to keep her Ryan (another man he had been speaking with) is interested again by the looks of it."
The man he was speaking with, who went by the name of Marc, replied: "Cool where is the location." Plumb said it was "a stud farm that's abandoned", adding: "It's got cells."
He said in a further message: "It could finally be happening."
The defendant told Marc he was "looking more towards a home invasion", before he would "get control of her"