A security guard accused of an alleged international plot to kidnap television presenter Holly Willoughby has been remanded in custody.
Gavin Plumb, 36, of Potters Field in Harlow, appeared in the dock at Chelmsford magistrates court on Friday accused of “soliciting to commit murder and incitement to commit kidnap”.
The charges come after an arrest made on Wednesday, said Essex Police.
The court heard Plumb, a father-of-two, is accused of plotting online with a man in the United States of America earlier this week, on October 3 and 4, to commit crimes against the TV star.
According to the charges, he is accused of having “solicited, encouraged, persuaded, endeavoured to persuade, or proposed” the murder of Ms Willoughby.
It is also said he encouraged the other man to travel to the UK to carry out a kidnap plot, and had “assembled a kidnap and restraint kit capable of encouraging or assisting the commission of the kidnap of Holly Willoughby”.
District Judge Caroline Jackson remanded Plumb into custody until a plea hearing on November 3 at Chelmsford crown court.
The defendant spoke to confirm his name, date of birth and address during the hearing, and told the court he has been working as a security guard in Harlow.
Wearing a green t-shirt containing the slogan “Aged to Perfection”, Plumb was told he will be held in custody until the next court appearance and was told to cooperate with his solicitors.
Prosecutor Shefa Begum said Plumb is accused of a “detailed plan” to kidnap and murder Ms Willoughby, and that he allegedly “conspired with another to carry out offences”.
Detective Superintendent Rob Kirby from Essex and Kent Serious Crime Directorate said: “This was an extremely fast-paced investigation, with many of our officers and national partners working overnight to secure these charges.
“The safeguarding of any victim is paramount and we will continue to prioritise this and working with the Metropolitan Police Service as the investigation proceeds.”
Ms Willoughby, 42, was absent from her usual role presenting ITV’s breakfast show This Morning on Thursday.
Sources told the Sun newspaper she was “shocked and distraught” by the incident, which comes during a turbulent year for Ms Willoughby.
Her former This Morning co-presenter Phillip Schofield left the show in May after admitting to an “unwise but not illegal” relationship with a runner more than 20 years his junior. Ms Willoughby took an early summer break from the show over the scandal.
Following the Queen’s death last September, a petition calling for her and co-star Mr Schofield to be sacked reached 50,000 signatures, after they were falsely accused of skipping the queue to witness the monarch’s lying-in-state.
