Ex-GCHQ man jailed for life after stabbing US security worker

A former UK intelligence worker has been jailed for stabbing a US government employee.

Joshua Bowles, from Cheltenham, attacked the woman in a leisure centre car park, three miles from GCHQ's base, in March.

He pleaded guilty to attempted murder and assaulting a second person, causing actual bodily harm.

The 29-year-old was handed a life sentence at the Old Bailey, with a minimum term of 13 years.

Armed with two knives, Bowles punched and stabbed the woman repeatedly on 9 March, leaving her with cuts to her abdomen, chest and thigh.

The ex-computer software coding developer later said he had targeted her because he could not handle the "murky waters of ethics" and "the power that the American NSA have and the things they do".

During sentencing, senior judge Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb found the stabbing was a "politically motivated attack" driven by "anger and resentment" towards GCHQ and women.

She rejected the defence claim that it was not a terrorist incident, saying Bowles' internet history showed he had a "deep disaffection with society and a desire to challenge authority".

The court heard Bowles had planned the attack and searched online for topics including US Unabomber terrorist Theodore Kaczynski, attacks on women, and white supremacy.

Joshua Bowles was sentenced at the Old Bailey in London

In a victim impact statement, the woman said using her attacker's name made her "feel sick" and brought back "awful memories".

She said she was "devastated" to find out they had worked in the same place, adding: "This attack has had a profound effect on me and it's utterly and completely changed my life.

"Following the attack, I went from being in the best shape I had ever been to being the weakest I have ever been."

On the day of the stabbing, the woman - referred to by code number 99230 - was followed as she and a friend left a Cheltenham leisure centre after a game of netball.

After hearing someone say "excuse me", she turned and was punched repeatedly in the face.

'Hated me'

She fought back, kicking and screaming, as her friend hit Bowles with her bag and told him to leave her alone.

Alex Fuentes, who was on his way to play football, was then punched in the face when he asked Bowles "What's going on?".

His intervention allowed the two women to run back into the centre's reception area, pursued by Bowles seconds later.

CCTV footage showed the attacker holding a knife and lunging towards 99230.

Describing the attack, she said: "It felt like he hated me … his focus was me."

Joshua Bowles was sentenced at the Old Bailey in London

Bowles eventually dropped the knife on the floor after Steve Bunn, another visitor to the leisure centre, grabbed him, allowing the women to escape again.

Mr Bunn said he asked Bowles if he was OK, and he responded: "No, I've just tried to kill her."

The investigation found Bowles had conducted research on his victim, as well as another female and a male working at GCHQ.

On his motivations, the judge said he was disaffected with his work at GCHQ and had been disappointed by a romantic approach towards another American woman working at the intelligence agency which had been rebuffed.

Speaking after the sentencing, Det Ch Supt Olly Wright, head of counter terrorism policing south east, said: "This was a planned and violent attack on two innocent victims.

"Bowles made comments in his initial police interviews that suggested he had selected his target because of where she worked and our investigation revealed this as the core motive behind this attack."

He continued: "I don't underestimate the impact this incident would have had on the victim and her family and friends and on the brave witnesses who intervened.

"I actually believe they saved her life. I would really like to thank them for it. They should be very proud of themselves."