A former Countdown champion who stabbed a fellow contestant at a convention in Blackpool last year has been found unfit to stand trial after psychiatrists concluded he is in the grip of psychosis, a judge told jurors at Preston Crown Court on Wednesday.
Jurors were asked to make a finding of fact in relation to the incident on Sept. 14, 2024, at the Wainwright Club, and concluded that 31-year-old John Cowen had stabbed fellow contestant Thomas Carey and was unlawfully in possession of two kitchen knives. Cowen was charged with section 18 wounding with intent and two counts of possession of a bladed article but will not face a full criminal trial because a judge ruled he is too unwell to participate.
Prosecutors told the court that Cowen arrived at a regular gathering organised by former contestants and fans of the Channel 4 game show, known as Focal Countdown, carrying a knife that could be seen glinting in CCTV footage. Witnesses said Cowen made a "half-growl, half-scream" and walked towards Carey with purpose before lunging across a table and stabbing him in the upper arm. Carey, a former Cambridge University mathematics student and celebrated contestant, was treated at hospital with steri-strips and later showed jurors the scar from the wound.
Other members at the event intervened, pulling Cowen away and restraining him until police arrived. Officers found a second, identical kitchen knife in Cowen's pocket when he was arrested, and noted his hands were covered in blood. During evidence, Carey recalled Cowen saying he felt "cheated" because other players had been practising with an app, a remark Cowen denies is fully recalled.
Judge Guy Mathieson told jurors that Cowen is "seriously mentally unwell" and is detained at Guild Lodge secure mental health unit in Lancashire. The judge said psychiatrists gave evidence that Cowen suffers from delusions about the world around him, including claims that the legal process is "some kind of AI construct" and that others are "brainwashed." At earlier hearings Cowen had made unintelligible outbursts, refused to confirm his name and spoke about unrelated matters, the court heard.
Because of his condition, Cowen watched proceedings via a live link from the secure unit. The judge ruled that Cowen's defence team had been unable to take instructions from him and that a fair trial could not proceed. A further psychiatric assessment has been ordered and Cowen is due to be sentenced later this month following that report.
The annual Countdown in Blackpool event brings together former winners and finalists who compete in Countdown-style quizzes. Both men involved in the incident are experienced former contestants. Cowen first appeared on the Channel 4 programme in 2017, achieving high scores during his series run and qualifying for later championship events. Carey made his debut in 2015 as a high-performing contestant and topped series rankings in his debut run.
At the start of the hearing, potential jurors were asked about any connections to the show; none said they had been contestants, members of its fan club or "obsessive watchers." Court documents stated Cowen was not a regular attendee of the Focal Countdown meetings, while Carey had been a member since about 2011.
The court's factual finding does not amount to a criminal conviction because Cowen was ruled unfit to plead. Legal representatives for both sides indicated that sentencing will await the outcome of further psychiatric evaluation, which will inform whether hospital orders, restrictions or other measures are appropriate under the Mental Health Act. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed the charges remain on file pending the outcome of those assessments.