A former UK intelligence worker has admitted the attempted murder of an American woman who worked for the US government and was stationed at GCHQ.
Joshua Bowles punched and stabbed the woman at a leisure centre 3 miles from the UK intelligence, security and cyber agency’s Cheltenham base, on 9 March.
Bowles, 29, a former GCHQ worker, appeared before the Old Bailey on Wednesday via video link from the high-security HMP Belmarsh and admitted attempted murder and assaulting a man called Alex Fuentes who tried to intervene.
He is said to have targeted the woman, who was referred to in charges only by the code number 99230, because he saw her as a representative of the state, and he had carried out reconnaissance of her.
The prosecution said he should be sentenced on the basis that the attack was linked to terrorism.
After the hearing, Nick Price, the head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s special crime and counter-terrorism division, said: “This extremely violent attack against two innocent people was completely unprovoked. It is right that those who commit violent crimes like this should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law to protect the public.”
DCS Olly Wright, the head of counter-terrorism policing in the south-east of England, said: “It is clear that Bowles had selected his victim because of where she worked. It is for this reason that it was appropriate for specialist counter-terrorism officers and staff to lead the investigation.”
Bowles, armed with two knives, attacked the woman at about 9.15pm as she left the leisure centre in Tommy Taylors Lane, Cheltenham, with a friend. She was taken to hospital with multiple stab injuries.
Emma Gargitter, prosecuting, said: “Mr Bowles had been an employee of GCHQ. He left that employment late in 2022. From the very early part of 2023 he began to conduct reconnaissance and research on the victim. He researched her personal life using the internet and discovered the leisure centre where the attack occurred hosted netball games where she participates.
“He attended the leisure centre with two knives in a rucksack and waited in a car park for her to exit. She was with a friend and he attempted to stab her in a car park while he was behind her. He was fended off by the victim and her friend and the intervention of Mr Fuentes, who was punched.
“The victim and her friend escaped and entered the leisure centre. Mr Bowles entered with a second knife – the first knife had broken in the car park – and he attacked her again in reception, stabbing her. The attack came to an end on the intervention of people around and the victim was able to escape assisted by first aiders until the arrival of police and ambulance.”
Gargitter said the targeted woman worked at GCHQ and was an employee of the US government. Bowles had researched not only the woman but two of her predecessors in her role.
The prosecutor said the crown would argue that the offence should be treated as being linked to terrorism.
Tim Forte, defending, said this would be disputed and reports had been provided showing Bowles had depression and a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said Bowles would remain in custody until sentencing. She ordered a pre-sentence report to assess the danger he poses.
English (US)