A woman and her friend were attacked outside of a fitness center by a man who believed they were spies, according to evidence presented in court.
The incident in Cheltenham last Thursday has led to the attempted murder charge against 29-year-old Joshua Bowles.
After a brief appearance at London Magistrates’ Court this morning, Bowles, of Welwyn Mews, Cheltenham, was not asked to enter a plea.
Bowles – dressed in a prison-issue grey tracksuit – confirmed his name, age and address.
Kathryn Selby, prosecuting, said: ‘This was a serious incident of attempted murder, this was a planned attack. The defendant has researched the victim and her whereabouts believing her to work for GCHQ.
‘He has then travelled to the leisure centre taking with him two knives.
‘He saw his victim enter the centre and waited outside. When she came outside with a friend he has gone up to her and attacked her with a knife.
‘We believe he selected the victim because she is a worker for GCHQ and he holds views on the work he believes they conduct there.
‘He attacked her because in his mind she represents the state.’
The court heard the woman – who was not named and referred to only by the code number 99230 – was leaving the leisure centre with a friend when she was attacked.
Mr Bowles researched his victim and her whereabouts ‘believing her to work for GCHQ’, Britain’s signals intelligence and cyber security agency, it was heard.
The woman suffered wounds to her abdomen, liver, leg, and chest, and was rushed to hospital for treatment in intensive care.
According to the charges, it is said Bowles ‘attempted to murder 99230’, and he faces a second allegation of assaulting Alex Fuentes ‘occasioning him actual bodily harm’ according to the Evening Standard.
District Judge Nina Tempia remanded Bowles into custody until a hearing at the Old Bailey on March 31.
The court heard the case will be dealt with under the criminal justice terrorism protocol.
Mr Bowles is also charged with actual bodily harm after allegedly punching a man who tried to intervene.