A JURY retired today to consider verdicts on two men accused of hatching a plot to rob and kill international pop star Joss Stone before dumping her body in a river.

Junior Bradshaw, 32, and Kevin Liverpool, 35, are alleged to have harboured deep hatred for the soul singer.

The defendants, both of St Stephen’s Close, Longsight, Manchester, are accused of conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm and conspiracy to rob. The pair deny the charges.

Judge Francis Gilbert QC told the jury of 10 men and two women to try and reach unanimous verdicts.

"Until I direct you otherwise you must return unanimous verdicts of each of the counts," he told them.

The prosecution allege they planned to attack her at her home at Ashill, mid-Devon.

They say notes written by Liverpool show they wanted to behead her using a Samurai sword because of her links to the royal family, including singing at charity events run by Princes William and Harry and attending the wedding of William and Kate Middleton.

They say the pair had scouted her home and were on their way to attack her armed with the sword, three knives, two hammers, masks, gloves and a hosepipe when they were arrested in Cullompton in June 2011.

Bradshaw gave evidence during the three-week trial at Exeter Crown Court and said he had never heard of Joss Stone until his arrest and that he believed he was on a day out with his friend.

No direct forensic evidence was found to link him to any of the weapons or the notes, but his phone was used when the two men bought the Fiat car in which they travelled to Devon.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Michael Alcock said Bradshaw suffered from disorganised schizophrenia and had such a poor concept of time that he thinks the alleged murder plot only happened two or three months ago.

Liverpool has not given evidence or called any witnesses on his behalf.

His barrister, Philip King QC, used his closing speech to say the plot to kill Miss Stone was nothing more than a bungled fantasy that was never going to be carried out.

"The simple truth is that you have one, maybe two people who are incapable, bizarre, deluded incompetents. They were doing nothing other than living out a frightening fantasy," he told jurors.

"The sad truth is he is not dangerous, just a deluded inadequate; part of the crooked timber of humanity.

"He may just be a man who needs some sort of help. He may just be an incapable fantasist."