Joss Stone's attempted kidnap was due to her royal connections, a court heard on Monday. Two armed men were arrested as they allegedly plotted to rob and murder the 25-year-old soul singer in June 2011. The teen prodigy attended William and Kate's wedding in 2011, shortly before the attempted attack.
"Joss Stone associates with members of the Royal family," said prosecutor Simon Morgan. "Her concerts have been attended by members of it and she was invited to the royal wedding at the very end of April that year. Hence she became a target." The Super Duper Love singer had also crossed paths with the young royals prior to the wedding. She performed in front Prince William and Prince Harry at The City Salute, of which the brothers are both patrons, at St Paul's Cathedral in 2008. They invited her to sing there following her performance at The Concert for Diana, which marked the 10th anniversary of the death of their mother, at Wembley Stadium in 2007. "It's not like I'm down at the pub with Will every Friday," she said before the wedding. "When we do see each other, we just get along really well." The accused, Kevin Liverpool, 35, and Junior Bradshaw, 32, researched the singer by watching an episode of MTV's Cribs which she made about her previous home in Devon, Exeter crown court heard. In 2008 she moved to a house in Ashill, near Cullompton, the village where she grew up. Although her life was "nomadic" at the time of the attempted attack due to her touring schedule, she was at home when the pair allegedly sought to carry out the murder. Concerned neighbours raised the alarm when they spotted the men in a car, who were "agitated and behaving abnormally". Police stopped the car and found equipment including a samurai sword, body bags, balaclavas and gaffer tape. Both men deny charges of conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm and conspiracy to rob. Joss, whose hits include Fell In Love With A Boy and L.O.V.E, has sold more than 11 million albums worldwide and has a fortune currently estimated at £10 million. The trial continues.
