INTERNATIONAL pop star Joss Stone has told a court that she was only aware of an alleged plot by two Huddersfield men to kill her when she was visited by the police.

The 25-year-old was giving evidence in the trial of former Huddersfield men Kevin Liverpool and Junior Bradshaw, who are charged with plotting to rob and kill the singer in June 2011.

Exeter Crown Court heard that the pair were arrested a few miles from Miss Stone’s home near Ashill, mid-Devon, with an arsenal of weapons - including a samurai sword - in the boot of their Fiat Punto.

Miss Stone was at home at the time but said she was only aware of the incident when police contacted her later that day.

She told the court: "Apart from someone (police) coming around to say someone is trying to kill me, it was a really nice day."

Speaking about the lack of security at her home, she said: "I’ve lived in Devon for a long time and nobody really shuts their door."

Describing the security arrangements at her home at the time of the alleged plot, Miss Stone - who said she was happy to be referred to in court by her real name, Jocelyn Stoker - said: "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."

She also agreed that the property, accessed by narrow lanes in a rural part of mid-Devon, was an "open house" for family, friends and her then-boyfriend.

Wearing a white blouse and a black skirt, the singer said: "At the time I had a gate. To get in, they (visitors) would just open the gate, drive in with their car, get up to another (wooden) gate, shut the gate hopefully so the dogs don’t get out, then say hello."

The court heard that the two defendants were arrested at around 9am on June 13 2011.

Asked by Philip King QC, representing Liverpool, about what happened when police arrived at her home, Miss Stone said: "That was strange - it was a surprise."

Members of the jury were shown copies of Miss Stone's tour diary, charting dates when she was in and out of the country including at the time of the alleged plot.

The record showed the singer was "home" from June 9-20.

Asked by Mr King if there was any reason for Miss Stone to "keep quiet" about where she lived, the Fell In Love With A Boy singer smiled as she said: "Everybody knows where everybody lives (in the area).

"I didn’t really feel worried about it.

"I think I can say that for everybody who lives around there. Until now."

But she added: "It is not nice to have press people sit outside your house and stuff. There’s a certain amount of privacy everybody likes."

She described her tour diary as "private", but said some people wanting to know whether she was at home or not might "put two and two together" with the help of her published concert dates.

Miss Stone said: "The diary is private to me, my band, my crew, my mum and my dad.

"I need to tell people where I am playing or else nobody would turn up to watch. I think somebody would put two and two together and say 'the tour ends on this day, she will be home on this day'.

Asked by Martin Meeke QC, defending Bradshaw, if that private diary was the sort of thing that could end up on the internet, the singer replied: "No, I would hope not."

She said the only way somebody would know if she was home - outside of her friendship group, family, colleagues or neighbours - would be if they "knew somebody who knew something".

The court heard yesterday that the two defendants had previously gained evidence about one of Miss Stone's former homes, near Cullompton off the M5, after studying a video documentary she agreed to be made for MTV's Cribs series.

Miss Stone smiled as the six-minute video was played to the jury this afternoon - appearing to grimace in the witness box at one point when her swearing on camera was bleeped out.

Prosecutor Simon Morgan QC yesterday told jury members that hand-written notes found after the pair’s arrest mentioned murder. One made reference to "kills" and "decapitate", another read "Jocelyn RIP", while another said: "Once Jocelyn’s dead... find a river to dump her."

Mr Morgan said the documents also "appear to express disapproval of the Royal Family".

He said: "Joss Stone associates with members of the Royal Family; her concerts have been attended by members of that family and she was invited to the royal wedding (Prince William and the then-Kate Middleton) at the very end of April that year. Hence, the Crown say, she was a target."

He said one note added: "The Queen - she-devil. But she likes Joss Stone. Invited to Will’s (Prince William) wedding by Queen. Where’s the sense in that?"

Miss Stone was asked today about her royal connections.

She said: "I have sung for them a couple of times - once for the Princess Diana concert. After that there was another charity event for (Prince) Harry.

"I don’t know. I guess they just invited me because they thought it was nice to invite me."