Gavin Plumb, 37, was snared after a US undercover police officer infiltrated an online group called Abduct Lovers and became so concerned about Plumb’s 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 bottles of chloroform and an “abduction kit” complete with cable ties. Plumb wept after jurors unanimously convicted him of soliciting murder and inciting rape and kidnap following an earlier trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.
He is due to be sentenced at the same court on Friday. Ahead of the hearing, a former victim of Plumb, who chose to remain anonymous in their interview with the BBC, spoke of being “frozen and scared” when he attempted to kidnap her. The woman told the broadcaster: “He had a rope and replica gun on him.
“As I read that note it was only then I looked at him. My first impression was that: he is huge, I have no chance. “There was this moment when I was frozen and scared.
“But it was also disbelief, I thought maybe he is joking, it is absurd, but he started approaching me with his hands, he held his hand on my knee and he was indicating that ‘we are going to go’. “After the initial freeze and disbelief I realised what’s going on and I was frightened, that feeling was growing because I started realising that this massive man wants to get me off the train and I knew the next station is in a small village.” Plumb’s.