A stalker who plotted to kidnap, rape and murder Holly Willoughby has been caught with a stash of pictures of her in his prison cell, according to reports. 

Gavin Plumb, 39, who is serving a 16-year sentence for his sinister plans, is said to have hidden the haul under his mattress at HMP Long Lartin, Worcestershire. 

The security guard from Harlow, Essex, was convicted in July 2024 of soliciting murder and encouraging or assisting others to rape and kidnap the former This Morning presenter. 

His plans involved attempting to ‘ambush’ Ms Willoughby, 45, at her family home – and he discussed taking time off work in order to organise the attack.

He then plotted to take the TV presenter to an isolated stud farm for sexual torture, and to kill her and dump her body in a lake. 

It is understood the pictures of Ms Willoughby that Plumb was allegedly in possession of in prison had come from magazines. 

Gavin Plumb, 39, was found guilty of soliciting murder and inciting rape and kidnap of Holly Willoughby following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court

Plumb planned to take Holly Willoughby to an isolated stud farm for sexual torture, and to kill her and dump her body in a lake

Pictured: Plumb being arrested by police at his flat in Harlow, Essex 

A source told The Sun: ‘Plumb is still obsessed with Holly. He should not have been allowed access to images of her.’

Plumb is said to have lost his privileges in prison as a result of the discovery of the haul. 

‘Plumb was going round and collecting TV magazines from other inmates on his landing and scouring them for pictures of Holly,’ the insider added. 

‘No one was that surprised because Plumb makes no attempt to hide his obsession with her.’

Plumb is said to have laughed about the pictures with his friend in jail – the Suffolk Strangler, Steve Wright. 

Wright, 67, was jailed for life for the murders of five women in Ipswich in 2006.

The alleged image haul comes after Plumb had a challenge against his sentence dismissed at the Court of Appeal in October last year. 

Explaining the decision, Lord Justice Edis, sitting with Mr Justice Martin Spencer and Ms Justice Norton, said: ‘He was not only inciting one potential accomplice, he was inciting one after another, after another – hoping to find one who would actually help.

‘This is a case where the offender clearly is dangerous and where there is no way of knowing when or if ever that will cease to be the case.’

The judge said messages containing Plumb’s plans were ‘distressing, even for seasoned professionals, to read’, and that Mr Justice Murray’s decision to pass a life sentence was ‘unimpeachable’.

He concluded: ‘With that, the appeal falls.’

Barristers for Plumb had argued his sentence was ‘manifestly excessive’ and should be reduced.

Pictured: A ‘restraint kit’ that was found at Plumb’s home  

The former security guard was initially snared after a US undercover police officer infiltrated an online group called Abduct Lovers and became so concerned about his posts that evidence was passed to the FBI.

US law enforcement in turn contacted police in the UK, and when Essex Police officers raided Plumb’s flat in Harlow they found an ‘abduction kit’ complete with cable ties and bottles of chloroform.

Plumb was heard discussing the plot during a series of horrifying voice notes played to the court.

The shocking recordings were sent to a potential accomplice called Marc, with Plumb saying he was looking for a place to ‘hold’ Ms Willoughby after ambushing her at her family home.

‘Nothing’s confirmed yet, mate. Don’t celebrate too early but it looks like… back on track for once,’ Plumb says, before adding: ‘Obviously, you’ll find out when everything is planned. Yeah, we’ll go from there.’

Plumb – who enjoyed dressing up in a Batman shirt – is also heard talking about how he planned to strike in the dead of night and use chloroform to subdue her and her husband, the TV producer Dan Baldwin, 49.

‘Plan of action, basically, we are going to hit it at night, less traffic on the road,’ Plumb said.

‘Chloroform both of them, making them easier to restrain. Pick out outfits of hers we like, take her and the outfits with us and then we’re gone.

‘We are then going to force her to make a video saying she came with us under her own free will and she’s fully consenting to everything we do to her so that covers us.’