Husband’s body found after attack manhunt
ABUSINESSMAN accused of stabbing his wife and throwing petrol at a teenager was found dead in a lake near their house.
John Cowley, 63, was being hunted by police over the attack during which a car was set alight torched outside their home in Moody Road, Mawdesley.
Cowley was reported to have repeatedly stabbed the victim, Alison Cowley, in the stomach before she and her daughter ran to safety as the car exploded.
The pair were rescued by a passing motorist, artist and ex-boxer Rob Newbiggin, and John Cowley fled the scene.
Lancashire police launched a manhunt to find him and later revealed CCTV footage which showed him at a petrol station in Southport hours after the horrific attack.
Officers have now confirmed that his body was found eight days later in a lake off Moody Lane.
Emergency services were called to nearby Ashtrees, on October 10, where Mr Newbiggin had taken the pair to escape the attack.
Police and fire services were also deployed to Moody Lane, where a car was burning outside the Cowleys’ house. Damage was clearly visible to the road surface when the car was removed the next day.
Mrs Cowley was taken to hospital by air ambulance where she was treated for serious injuries, from which she is believed to be recovering. After the incident,
Mr Newbiggin told of the terrifying incident, saying: “I’m a tough guy, but I’ve never been so scared in all my life.”
He said: “He was spraying [the girl] with something. To me, it looked like they were playing a game. I just presumed it was water.
“The girl was screaming but we were thinking it was screams of laughter. As she came closer, I could smell petrol. I looked at the girl and I could tell something wasn’t right.
“Then I saw the red petrol can in his hand. It was only a matter of time before he pulled a lighter out. “He looked hell-bent.” As Mr Newbiggin was about to get out of his car to help the girl, the car parked outside the home burst into flames.
He said: “There was an explosion. Petrol had obviously been poured in the car and set alight.
“The flames were 12ft high – and, if we had been any closer, we’d probably have been killed on the spot. I looked back at the girl and there was a woman behind her. I was shouting at them to run, and I couldn’t work out why she was moving so slowly.
“Then she crouched down on the driveway, clutching her stomach and I could see blood pouring from her. There was no sign of the man – he’d obviously seen our car and realised the game was up.”
Mr Newbiggin and his daughter helped the pair into his car and drove them back to his home to meet paramedics.
Police confirmed last week that a body had been found in a lake off Moody Lane, which has now been identified as John Cowley.
A spokesman said: “His family have been made aware of developments.
“We would like to thank everyone who helped with our appeals.”
A post mortem examination will be carried out to try to establish the cause of death.