UK: Life Sentence for Man Convicted of Attempted Murder of Famous Presenter
A British court on Friday sentenced a man to life imprisonment for attempting to kidnap, rape, and murder a famous British television presenter.
Authorities uncovered Gavin Plumb, 37, after an American police officer in Minnesota noticed his suspicious messages in an online group titled “Kidnapped Lovers.”
The officer reported to the FBI after being disturbed by Plumb’s messages detailing his plans to kidnap, rape, and kill Holly Willoughby, 43, who has hosted the popular show “This Morning” on ITV for 14 years, as well as the entertainment program “Dancing on Ice.”
The American officer contacted British police, who arrested Gavin Plumb on October 4. Police found bottles containing chloroform and a “kidnapping kit” in his apartment in Harlow, eastern England.
In July, a jury found Gavin Plumb guilty of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, rape, and murder.
The defendant denied the charges, claiming that it was merely online conversations and fantasies.
The judge at Chelmsford Crown Court in Essex (east of London) sentenced him on Friday to life imprisonment, with 15 years to be served without parole.
He described Plumb’s plan as “particularly violent and humiliating” and the result of a “years-long obsession.”
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Police described his plot as “carefully planned,” noting that he had purchased ropes and conducted extensive research on the presenter, her habits, and her relatives, and attempted to recruit people to help him.
