Two convicted of plot to kill pop singer

Two men were yesterday convicted of plotting to rob and kill pop star Joss Stone.

Kevin Liverpool, 35, and Junior Bradshaw, 32, harboured a deep hatred of the singer.

They were found guilty of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to rob following a three-week trial at Exeter Crown Court.

Liverpool has begun a life sentence — to serve a minimum of 10 years and eight months — while Bradshaw awaits sentencing.

Stone said she was “relieved” the pair “are no longer in a position to cause harm to anyone”.

Judge Francis Gilbert branded Liverpool a danger to the public and said he targeted Miss Stone in order to get more than £1m (€1.2m) from her.

“You intended to rob her and kill her and dump her body in the river, according to your words, and then leave the country with your accomplice,” said Gilbert to Liverpool.

“You had no reason to target her except that she was a wealthy young woman as she was a successful singer.

“You assumed, as she was a friend of the royal family, she would be able to give you money.

“It may have been, to use the colloquial, ‘a crazy scheme from a crazy person and must be likely to fail’ but when you decided to travel from Manchester to Devon you intended to carry it out.”

Stone, who had taken to the witness stand to tell jurors of the lax security at her home, spoke of her relief following the trial.

“I’d like to thank everyone for all their support and kind wishes,” she said.

“I am relieved the trial is now over and that these men are no longer in a position to cause harm to anyone.”

Detectives welcomed the convictions, saying it had been a “long and difficult investigation”.

Superintendent Steve Parker, of Devon and Cornwall police said: “I have no doubt that Liverpool and Bradshaw were intending to harm Miss Stone and it was through the alertness of the public and good police work that we were able to bring this incident to a successful conclusion.

“I would like to thank those members of the public who recognised the suspicious behaviour of Liverpool and Bradshaw and acted positively by calling the police.”

The court heard the pair drove from Manchester to Stone’s home in Devon with an arsenal of weapons to rob and kill her.

In bizarre notes written by Liverpool, the plan involved beheading Stone due to her links to the royal family.

The duo had scouted Stone’s home and were on their way to attack her armed with a sword, knives, hammers, masks, gloves, and a hosepipe when they were arrested in Cullompton in June 2011.

Residents called the police having seen Liverpool and Bradshaw’s badly damaged Fiat Punto in the area.

They told police they were lost and were trying to get to Bristol but officers quickly discovered the weapons in the boot.

A search of the one-bedroom flat they shared also recovered a self-cocking crossbow and a BB gun.

Bradshaw will be sentenced following the preparation of reports.

The judge said he was considering passing a hybrid sentence, meaning Bradshaw would receive a custodial sentence but would most likely serve it in a psychiatric unit.