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20 years jail for smirking killer of Harry Potter actor
Justin Davenport5 Mar 2009
The murderer of a young Harry Potter actor smirked and stood with his hands in his pockets as he was jailed for life today.
As a judge slammed his “chilling” lack of remorse and told him he must serve a minimum of 20 years, Karl Bishop rocked on the balls of his feet at the Old Bailey.
Bishop, 21, was jailed for killing Rob Knox and stabbing four of his friends.
Mr Knox, 18, was the 14th of 28 teenagers to die violently on the streets of London last year. Bishop had returned to the Metro bar in Sidcup last May with two kitchen knives after losing a fight earlier that evening.
Bishop threatened Mr Knox's brother Jamie and when confronted about this began his attack, stabbing the actor five times.
The week before, after an argument with Mr Knox, he had said: “I'm going to come back next week and someone's going to die.”
Sentencing, Mr Justice Bean said: “When you learnt you had killed Rob your only response was, 'Yeah sweet'.”
Reader views (10)
At the maximum he will serve half the given sentence. With good behavior he should be out in around 8 years.
If he is lucky they will let him out even earlier with a curfew and a tag.
- Serox, London, 06/03/2009 09:38
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Does anyone know why this sentance is referred to as a 'life sentance' - I genuinely don't understand?!
Such a shame that he will still be relatively young by the time he gets out, given that he probably won't even serve out the entire sentance - I can't help feel embarrased to 'admit' to being British some days!!!
- A, berkshire, 06/03/2009 09:26
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I'm surprised, that is almost a real sentence.
- Jimbob, Kensington, 06/03/2009 09:25
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I agree with some of your readers We are to soft on criminals, and they look at a sentence as a badge of honour. Liberal judges should be named and shamed.
- Terry Harrs, richmond surrey, 06/03/2009 01:35
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Can we please now change the term 'life' to 'a spell inside.'It's terribly misleading.
- Steve, London, 05/03/2009 16:24
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@ W R Stevenson - no it probably won't serve 20 years. Some bleeding heart liberal will say he had a rough childhood and we need to feel sorry for him. My deepest condolences to Rob's family and friends.
- Sarah, Enfield, 05/03/2009 16:01
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Is it really going to be twenty years?
- W R Stevenson, London SE26, 05/03/2009 15:32
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Another idiot of the streets, but there are plenty more were he came from.
- Dom, London, 05/03/2009 14:49
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this is the kind of scumbag that needs to be destroyed in our society as he can not breed any more monsters..bring back the firing squad.
- Ricky, london england, 05/03/2009 14:22
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Twenty years should wipe the smirk off his stupid face.
- Neil M., london uk,, 05/03/2009 14:16
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