Gavin Plumb made a chilling five-word remark as he was jailed for life for plotting to kidnap, rape and murder TV star Holly Willoughby.
The 37-year-old security guard was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 16 years at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday afternoon. Plumb’s “depraved and vile” plans had a “catastrophic and life-changing” impact on the former This Morning presenter, the court heard.
He was unanimously convicted of soliciting murder and inciting rape and kidnap following a trial earlier this month. Today, the judge sentenced the defendant to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 16 years, minus the 280 days he had spent on remand – taking the total to a minimum jail term of 15 years and 85 days.
READ MORE: Gavin Plumb jailed for life for Holly Willoughby kidnap, rape and murder plot
Wearing a grey prison-issue jumper, Plumb apparently muttered “15 years to kill myself” after learning his fate. Standing in the dock as his sentence was read out, Plumb initially showed no reaction but as he was led to the cells he made the comment to the dock officer and made an exasperated gesture raising both his hands.
In his sentencing remarks, Mr Justice Edward Murray described some of the plans Plumb had discussed online as “particularly sadistic, brutal and degrading”. Giving his reasons for imposing the prison term, the judge continued: “Over a number of years, you pursued an unhealthy sexual obsession with Holly Willoughby that led you ultimately to plan over that period to kidnap, to rape and to murder her. You intended to harm her husband and her children as part of your plan.”
The judge said Plumb had discussed his plans with two people online – Marc and David Nelson, who was actually an undercover cop in the US. He said Plumb has talked “in hideous and revolting detail” about the “prolonged sexual violence” he planned to inflict on his victim after abducting her.
The court heard that Plumb had previously been convicted of offences involving the threat of sexual violence against four different women.
During the trial, Plumb’s defence team argued that his plans were just a fantasy. When he was arrested on October 4 last year and officers told him that the allegations concerned Ms Willoughby, the defendant told them: “I’m not gonna lie, she is a fantasy of mine.”
The Dancing On Ice star waived her right to anonymity in connection with the charge against Plumb of assisting or encouraging rape. Alleged victims of sex offences or targets of sex offence conspiracies have a right to automatic anonymity for life from the moment an allegation is made by them or anyone else.
Plumb’s kidnap plans involved attempting to “ambush” Ms Willoughby at her family home – even discussing taking time off work in order to organise the attack. He told others he would then take the presenter to another location, which he suggested would be a “dungeon”-type room.
Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said Ms Willoughby wished for her victim personal statement to be private but said it set out the “catastrophic impact of these offences”.
She continued: “What I can say, and I make this submission from the prosecution… it is abundantly clear that in making that statement the prosecution submits the impact of this offending has been life-changing for the victim of these offences – both in private and personal terms – private, personal and indeed professional.
“It is clear, the prosecution submit… that the extent of the shock and fear caused by this offending has been impossible to convey. Indeed, being informed of the consequences, the intentions, and the detail of the evidence in this case… it is inevitable that that has exacerbated the trauma for this victim.”
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