Pair plotted to kill singer Joss Stone, court told

Two men hatched a plot to rob and kill pop star Joss Stone before dumping her body in a river, a court heard yesterday.

Junior Bradshaw and Kevin Liverpool harboured deep hatred for the singer, who they referred to as a “she-devil”, it is claimed.

The pair set off from their home in Manchester with a samurai sword, knives, bags, and gloves crammed in their car, bound for Ms Stone’s home in mid-Devon, the court heard.

It is claimed the plot was fraught with problems. The pair were spoken to by police having been involved in a crash on the journey. They also asked a postman for directions.

The duo had previously gained evidence about one of Ms Stone’s former homes, after studying a documentary she made for MTV’s Cribs series and printed Google street maps to find her new address, the prosecution allege.

It is claimed the notes showed the pair intended to decapitate the pop star and dump her body in a river.

The men were arrested a few miles from Ms Stone’s home. Bradshaw, 32, and Liverpool, 35, deny charges of conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm, and conspiracy to rob, in 2011.

Opening the case at Exeter Crown Court, prosecutor Simon Morgan told the jury: “This case is about a decision by a group of individuals, of which these defendants are two, to rob and kill Joss Stone.

“That is not a phrase I have plucked from the air. It is used in documents written by Mr Liverpool during the planning stages of this plot. We don’t know who the others are but that does not matter. Your job will be to determine whether you think these two are part of a plot.”

The trial is due to last for around three weeks.