Ray Cowen died two days after thieves stole Judy's handbag and tried to take his watch during a mugging in Tenerife on June 17. The 88-year-old was pushed into a stationary car outside the couple's holiday home in Los Cristianos and suffered serious head injuries before being revived at the scene and taken to hospital.
Judy Cowen in Los Cristianos
Judy Cowen was 79. The attack began with the handbag theft, then widened when Cowen fought the thieves as they went for his watch. He was originally from Blackpool, and the incident came just days after he celebrated his 88th birthday at the nearby Big Ben pub.
Three people have been arrested since the robbery. One of the arrested suspects was known to police for similar crimes, and the suspect alleged to have caused Cowen's fatal injuries appeared in court and was remanded in custody. The other two, one aged 36 and the other in their 20s, were released on bail.
Stephen Fox on Tenerife
A formal investigation has been opened to determine the circumstances surrounding Cowen's death. The case moves forward with one suspect still held in custody, while the other two remain on bail as investigators examine what happened between the mugging and the head injuries that followed.
Stephen Fox, speaking as an expat in the area, said: "Sad state of affairs. Fourth incident that I know of in this exact same area in the last three months.”" He also said: "I witnessed a woman in a wheelchair in her 80s getting her chain ripped off her at 3pm." A friend added: "I met that man two weeks ago in Big Ben. He was celebrating his birthday with his wife and having a great time. Such a lovely man. Can’t believe this happened. Rest in peace."
