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Harry Potter actor 'was stabbed by a madman'
Paul Cheston12 Feb 2009
A friend of Harry Potter actor Rob Knox broke down in tears today as he described seeing a knife-wielding "madman" stab him repeatedly.
Tom Hopkins told a court how he saw 18-year-old Mr Knox stabbed to death outside the Metro bar in Sidcup, Kent, by Karl Bishop.
Mr Hopkins, 19, was himself stabbed in the head during the melee in May last year, the Old Bailey heard.
Jurors have been told that Mr Knox was knifed five times as he tried to protect his younger brother Jamie after hearing Bishop had threatened him with a knife.
Mr Hopkins said he "sensed the feeling of danger" as a crowd gathered outside the bar when Bishop arrived.
He saw Bishop shouting and waving the knife around.
"He looked like a madman," he said. "People in the crowd were shouting 'he's got a knife, he's got a knife'.
"Rob broke free and advanced towards the man with the knife, he was in a running movement. There was a clash, Rob was trying to fight him."
As Mr Hopkins came to the moment his friend was killed, he broke down sobbing and the trial had to be stopped for a few minutes.
Mr Knox's parents, Colin and Sally, who were in court, were also in tears.
Mr Hopkins said: "As Rob was grappling with him, the boy had a knife. He was stabbing Rob repeatedly."
Bishop, 21, of Sidcup, denies murder and five charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to five youths, including Mr Hopkins, claiming it was self-defence.
The case continues.
