A man facing trial for plotting to kidnap, rape and murder the TV personality Holly Willoughy has been found guilty.

Back in October of last year, it was first reported by The Sun that the former This Morning host was “under police guard” after “sinister” messages were found on a man’s phone reportedly threatening to “seriously harm” the daytime TV presenter.

Security guard Gavin Plumb – who did not know the presenter personally – was subsequently charged with soliciting to commit murder and incitement to commit kidnap, with his trial getting underway on Monday 24 June.

Following eight days of trial, Plumb – who had denied the allegations made against him – was found guilty of three charges at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday. He will be sentenced on Friday 12 July.

Prosecution Alison Morgan KC previously told the court that Plumb had developed an “obsession with Holly Willoughby that had developed over a number of years” and had a serious and “real intention” to kidnap the daytime star from her home and take her to “a location where she would be raped repeatedly”, before murdering her.

“It was not just the ramblings of a fantasist; the defendant had carefully planned what he would do,” Morgan said on the first day of the trial.

Plumb had two previous convictions for attempted kidnap and false imprisonment, dating back to 2006 and 2008.

It was previously noted that Plumb’s alleged plans only came to light after he shared them with an undercover police officer based in the US, with whom he’d been speaking online.

Greg Wood of Essex Police told BBC News: “If the American officer hadn’t have contacted us… I’ve got no doubt that Gavin Plumb could’ve gone on to commit some really horrific crimes.”

According to The Guardian, Nicola Rice of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Gavin Plumb is a dangerous man who plotted unspeakable violence against one of the nation’s most familiar faces.

“Despite his attempts to pass himself off as a harmless fantasist, the prosecution persuaded the jury that Plumb posed a very real threat.

“The chilling details of his plans were laid bare with the help of an undercover officer from the US who alerted the FBI to the threat, and the seriousness of Plumb’s scheme was exposed when the prosecution successfully applied to tell the jury about Plumb’s previous convictions.

“I hope his conviction brings some comfort to Holly Willoughby and her family and shows others that the Crown Prosecution Service will always seek the strongest possible charges against those who plot violence against women.”

When details of the kidnap plot were first made public last year, it was reported that Holly was “under police guard at her home”.

She subsequently made the decision to step down from This Morning after 14 years at the helm, which she said was “for me and my family”.

Holly then took an extended break from the media spotlight, before making her return to TV in January, when she and new co-host Stephen Mulhern presented the latest series of Dancing On Ice.

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