A “GROWLING” former Countdown champion stabbed a rival at a tournament in front of horrified players.
John Cowen, 31, ran across the room brandishing a knife before lunging across a table to attack Thomas Carey.
The pair had been taking part in an event organised by the Focal Countdown Group, where former contestants on the Channel 4 TV quiz show and fans meet to play each other.
Cowen was captured on CCTV stabbing Thomas in a function room at Wainwright Social Club in Blackpool, Lancashire.
The victim – also an ex-Countdown champion – said he heard a “half-growl, half-scream” before he saw Cowen holding a knife.
He added: “He was pushing past people and tables to get towards me.
“He came up to me with the knife and he then stabbed me in the arm. Immediately I grabbed on to his arm and called for help.”
Cowen has now been detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act after the court heard he was suffering from a “relapsing and remitting” condition.
Judge Guy Mathieson said: “This was a terrifying incident of deliberate attack with a knife which could have caused more serious injury or fatality. There has never been an explanation.
“The only matter that was put to Mr Carey was that there had been growing resentment towards Mr Carey and others over the use of an app to practice Countdown – however Mr Carey was at a complete loss as to why he was singled out.
“”He did not know why he had been targeted.”
He was previously ruled unfit to stand trial and was found to have committed assault and been in possession of a knife in a public place.
Preston Crown Court heard on September 14 last year, the Cambridge maths graduate launched into the attack in front of around 30 people.
Prosecutor Rosalind Scott Bell said: “The defendant had a knife in his left hand. You can just about make it out, glinting as he walks past the camera.
“He appears to see Mr Carey, then breaks into a run and goes straight for him. The defendant lunged across the table with his left hand going straight towards Mr Carey.
“Mr Carey was forced back on to the seat behind him, and you can just about make out him trying to kick towards the defendant.
“Mr Carey then grabbed the defendant’s wrist in an endeavour to stop the assault. By then, he had been stabbed.
“He will describe how he had only been at the Wainwright Club for a short while when he heard growling.”
The court heard Cowen was pulled away by others in the room and restrained on the ground before police were called.
When he was arrested he was searched and found to have another kitchen knife in his pocket.
The jury was told the victim had been a member of the fan club since 2011 and knew Cowen from other Countdown events.
Some of the attendees at the unofficial tournaments that are held monthly across the country use an app to practise the game online.
Cowen had said he felt “cheated” by people using the app.
He appeared on Countdown in 2017 when he scored the third highest total in his series.
Cowen competed in a further 11 episodes – winning eight consecutive contests – before he was finally defeated.
