Officer in kidnap and cannibal plot is guilty

A New York City police officer who discussed a plot to kidnap, kill and eat women with a British pen pal has been convicted and faces a life sentence.

Gilberto Valle was found guilty following a trial which heard disturbing details of his plans to eat women, many of whom he named as people he knew.

Valle, 28, exchanged a series of online messages with a man known as "Moody Blues", a Briton who claimed to have eaten two women. Together the pair planned to cook and eat a victim. Dale Bolinger, 57, was arrested at his home in Canterbury by Kent Police following a tip-off from FBI officers.

He was held on suspicion of conspiracy offences, grooming and possessing images of child abuse. He is on bail and denies the allegations.

During his trial, Valle's lawyers argued that his online plot was fantasy.

"This was a 'thought' prosecution and the jury couldn't get past the thoughts. Obviously the case involved thoughts that were unusual and bizarre and frankly very ugly," his lawyer, Julia Gatto, said following the verdict. The jury in New York unanimously found Valle guilty of one count of conspiracy to kidnap, an offence which carries a life sentence.

The police officer was also convicted of illegally gaining access to a law enforcement database that he used to conduct research on potential victims. He faces up to five years in prison on that count.

Following the verdicts, the Manhattan attorney, Preet Bharara, said: "A unanimous jury found that Gilberto Valle's detailed and specific plans to abduct women for the purpose of committing grotesque crimes were very real."

He will be sentenced at a later date.