14 DAY TRIAL // Two men planning to kidnap and kill Joss Stone by hacking off her head with a samurai sword have been found guilty by the court, The Telegraph reports. They will be spending many years behind bars for their gruesome plan.
As we also reported last month, Junior Bradshaw and Kevin Liverpool wanted the singer dead because of her connection with the royal family, because she performed for them on a few occasions.
They “harbored deep hatred” for her, the publication says, so they hatched a plan to kidnap and kill her, and then dispose of her body in a river.
Police caught them before they got to put the plan in execution and they have just been found guilty on all charges brought against them.
“The defendants, both of St Stephen's Close, Longsight, Manchester denied charges of conspiracy to murder, the alternative charges of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm and conspiracy to rob,” The Telegraph writes.
“The jury found Bradshaw and Liverpool guilty of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to rob after a three-week trial at Exeter Crown Court,” the publication says.
“Kevin Liverpool was jailed for life with a minimum term of 10 years and eight months. Sentencing of Junior Bradshaw, who was convicted of the same charges, was adjourned,” adds the same media outlet.
Though they maintained they were innocent, police recovered evidence that showed they were very serious about their plan to murder Stone.
Notebooks and newspaper clippings were found in their car and at their home, which was more than enough to get them convicted and sentenced.
Both men have certain mental afflictions, as specialists testified in court.
“I've lived in Devon for a long time and nobody really shuts their door. I had an alarm but I did not really turn it on very much. I didn't really have a lock on my door... But I do now,” Stone said in court.
Her mother tells The Telegraph that she is “relieved” the trial is over and the two will be behind bars for a very long time.