Morning:
10°c
Stabbed Harry Potter actor killed saving brother
Paul Cheston9 Feb 2009
Harry Potter actor Rob Knox was stabbed to death as he tried to protect his younger brother from a knifeman who was “running amok”, a court heard today.
The 18-year-old was stabbed five times, including a fatal wound to the chest, outside the Metro Bar in Sidcup in May last year.
His attacker was Karl Bishop, 21, who had come armed with two kitchen knives following an argument at the club the week before, the Old Bailey was told.
Rob's parents Colin and Sally fought back tears as the court heard how he had gone to the aid of his 17-year-old brother Jamie.
Brian Altman, QC, prosecuting, said: “Unfortunately, his courage and his sense of duty were to cost him his life.”
Bishop had made a “chilling” prediction the previous week, said Mr Altman, adding: “He was heard to say, I'm going to come back next week and someone's going to die' .”
Bishop, of Sidcup, has pleaded not guilty to murder and five charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to five other youths, claiming he was acting in self-defence.
The court heard that Rob had just finished filming the role of Marcus Belby in the forthcoming film Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince.
Mr Altman said: “A few minutes after midnight on 24 May last year, Rob Knox was stabbed to death by this defendant, who was running amok outside the Metro bar.
“At the time, Bishop was armed with two quite ordinary but two quite lethal knives which had come from his kitchen and with which he had quite deliberately armed himself. Tragically, in the melee, Rob Knox lost his life.
“Rob was just one of a number of young people who over the past year or so have fallen victim to knife crime in London.
“He was particularly unfortunate because he fell victim to a young man who was not only an habitual knife carrier but also someone who would quite happily deploy and use knives as weapons, two in this case, to settle scores.
“That is precisely what happened here.”
Mr Altman said both Rob and his brother were interested in drama and had parts in a film about King Arthur.
He added: “In January, last year, he landed the part of Marcus Belby in the forthcoming film Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, due for release later this year.
“At the time of this event, he had just finished filming and was looking forward to being in the next Harry Potter film. He was a popular young man who would come to the help of others and was especially protective of Jamie, who thought the world of him.”
The court heard the bond between the brothers was strong. Mr Altman added: “It's quite clear and entirely understandable that Robert believed on good grounds that Jamie was in danger.
“He acted as anyone would to defend his younger brother.”
Jurors heard that Rob's mother Sally Knox would occasionally point out to her son the dangers of others carrying knives.
“Robert would tell her not to worry,” said Mr Altman. “Any teenager would entirely sympathise with these fears.”
Rob had been acting since the age of 11 and had also appeared in The Bill, the film King Arthur, and BBC sitcom After You've Gone.
Bishop had two convictions —wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and causing actual bodily harm following an incident outside a minicab office, said Mr Altman.
The hearing continues.
