With the help of an undercover Minnesota police officer, a British security guard has been convicted of plotting to kidnap, rape and murder a British TV personality.
The 37-year-old man was found guilty last week in England of a plot involving Holly Willoughby, a British television presenter, author and model who has appeared on shows such as “The Voice UK” and hosted a morning show, according to the BBC.
Holly Willoughby attends the National Television Awards 2023 at The O2 Arena on Sept. 5, 2023, in London, England. (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
It all began a few years ago after Gavin Plumb shared his elaborate plan with an Owatonna police officer who was working undercover in an online group called “Abduct Lovers.”
That officer, known only as David Nelson, which the BBC says is not his real name, informed the FBI, which led English detectives to investigate and arrest Plumb, who was convicted last Thursday.
Prosecutors said Plumb had a “real intention” to kidnap the broadcaster from her home, “take her to a location where she would be raped repeatedly” and then murder her.
After joining the Abduct Lovers group, Plumb shared four pictures of Willoughby and wrote “The one in the public eye I want.”
According to the BBC, Nelson wrote “Nice” and began to have private chats with Plumb. During those conversations, Plumb outlined his abduction plot and sent videos of the “kidnap kit” he’d assembled which included hand and ankle shackles, a rope and a ball gag.
After Nelson told the FBI, who told the Essex Police, Plumb was arrested last fall, and his eight-day trial ended last week.
‘Investigations … without boundaries’
Jeff Mundale, the Owatonna Police Chief, released a statement Monday night about the undercover detective:
“In this recent case that landed in Essex, England, (our detective) foiled a rape and murder for hire plot against a famous United Kingdom TV presenter … The coordination and quick action by US and UK law enforcement officials is a testament to the gravity of this situation and the effective teamwork this case presents,” Mundale wrote. “Our (detective’s) work is nothing but brilliant and his impact on saving lives and future victimization of others is immeasurable.”
The chief said that his investigators monitor online criminal activity and chatter to gather intelligence.
“These investigations come without boundaries and generally land in other states and countries,” he wrote. “These covert investigations are conducted across various and changing social media platforms in search for persons with a criminal mind and intent to traffic minor children or persons that are seeking to hire for rape or murder.”
Extensive plans
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During the trial, it was revealed that Plumb had purchased 400 “heavy duty” metal cable ties and chloroform to “knock Willoughby and her husband out after breaking in to their house.”
The BBC reported that investigators also found a 31-piece lock-picking kit, handcuffs, two packets of rope, a map from his address to Willoughby’s house, and a device that contained many pictures of Willoughby including deepfake artificially created pornographic images depicting her.
In BBC articles, Willoughby is quoted as saying she 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.”
According to the BBC, Plumb, a security guard, had assembled this “tool kit of highly sexualised violence” to fulfill his “ultimate fantasy.”
An investigator with the Essex Police told the BBC that Plumb was an “obsessive loner” who had assembled “all the items he needed to cause Holly Willoughby some serious harm.”
“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,” Detective Chief Inspector Greg Wood added.
