Man charged over stabbing of ‘American spy’ outside leisure centre near GCHQ’s headquarters

Joshua Bowles, 29, will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday

Police said the woman sustained serious injuries (PA) (PA Archive)

Counter-terrorism police have charged a man with attempted murder following the stabbing of an ‘American spy’ outside a leisure centre in Cheltenham.

The incident took place at about 9.15pm outside a leisure centre in Tommy Taylors Lane last Thursday.

Joshua Bowles, 29, of Welwyn Mews, Cheltenham, will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday charged with attempted murder, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

He will also be charged with causing actual bodily harm.

Nick Price, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr Bowles are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.”

We believe this was an isolated incident and there is no information to suggest any wider threat to the local community

Detective Chief Superintendent Olly Wright

Police said the woman sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment, where she remains in a stable condition.

According to reports by the Daily Mail, the unnamed victim is an “American spy on secondment to GCHQ”, and the incident took place just three miles from GCHQ headquarters.

Detective Chief Superintendent Olly Wright, head of Counter Terrorism Policing South East, said: “We would encourage people not to speculate on the specific circumstances surrounding this incident.

“We believe this was an isolated incident and there is no information to suggest any wider threat to the local community. We must now let the judicial process take place.”