Former Countdown Champion Detained After Violent Tournament Attack
A former Countdown television champion has been ordered to remain in a psychiatric hospital for an indefinite period after launching a knife attack on a fellow player during a tournament in Blackpool.
John Cowen, 31, from Morecambe in Lancashire, was not physically present at Preston Crown Court as the judge had previously ruled him unfit to stand trial based on psychiatric assessments.
The Terrifying Incident Unfolds
The court heard how Cowen entered the Wainwright Club in Blackpool shortly after 11:30am carrying a kitchen knife in his left hand. CCTV footage showed him spotting fellow Countdown enthusiast Thomas Carey before running across the room towards him.
Rosalind Scott Bell, representing the prosecution, described how Carey heard growling before seeing the defendant approaching him. "He initially believed the knife was fake," Scott Bell told the court, "but the defendant kept coming towards him, lunged across the table and stabbed him."
Bystanders quickly restrained Cowen, and when police arrived they discovered a second kitchen knife in his pocket. Carey was taken to hospital where he received treatment for a wound to his left bicep.
Mental Health Assessment and Court Ruling
Judge Guy Mathieson described the attack as a "terrifying incident of deliberate violence with a knife which could have caused far more serious injury and possible lethality."
The court heard that Cowen, who suffers from schizophrenia, had "expressed discontent over the use of an app" by some players during fan conventions and contests. While no clear motive was established, it was suggested he "felt cheated" that others used mobile applications to practise the game.
Judge Mathieson addressed Cowen, who appeared via videolink from Guild Lodge psychiatric hospital in Preston, stating: "Your attitude to that treatment remains hostile and so any potential treatment and monitoring in the community would not be effective as you would not engage."
The judge ordered Cowen's detention under Section 37/41 of the Mental Health Act, meaning his discharge would require consent from the justice secretary.
Countdown Background and Achievements
John Cowen first appeared on Countdown in 2017, reaching the semi-finals before returning in 2019 for the champion of champions tournament where he progressed to the quarter-finals.
The Cambridge mathematics graduate achieved notable success during his time on the show:
- Won the coveted Countdown teapot multiple times
- Solved a rare nine-letter word
- Achieved octochamp status by winning eight consecutive games
The attack occurred during a Focal Countdown Group event, where former champions and contestants compete against fans in spelling and number challenges. The court heard that Carey had been a member of the Countdown fanclub since 2011 and had known Cowen from previous meetings.
Despite being charged with two counts of possession of a bladed article in a public place and wounding with intent, Cowen pleaded not guilty to all charges. The jury was instructed to determine the facts of the case after two psychiatrists assessed Cowen as "seriously mentally unwell" and unfit for trial.
