Killer of Harry Potter actor says he had no choice | Knife crime

The man who fatally stabbed the Harry Potter actor Rob Knox told a court today he had had "no other option" as he was surrounded by a group who were attacking him. Karl Bishop claimed he had felt "scared" and swung out with two blades as he tried to get away from blows raining down

This article is more than 14 years old

Killer of Harry Potter actor says he had no choice

This article is more than 14 years oldKarl Bishop claims he used knife in self-defence on Rob Knox as group attacked him outside bar in south-east London

The man who fatally stabbed the Harry Potter actor Rob Knox told a court today he had had "no other option" as he was surrounded by a group who were attacking him.

Karl Bishop claimed he had felt "scared" and swung out with two blades as he tried to get away from blows raining down on him, but said he had never intended to hurt anyone.

A semicircle of more than 10 youths outside the Metro bar in Sidcup, Kent, had included Knox, who was "more aggressive" than the others and was being held back, the Old Bailey heard.

Bishop, 21, told the court: "They were screaming. They were chucking bottles at me. They were just going mad.

"My aim was to scare people away from me and then, as they kept running at me, the knife was catching them while they kept running into it. I was just trying to get away."

Bishop claimed he took the knives out of his pockets as one of the group came towards him, and he could remember little else of what happened.

"As soon as he ran at me, everyone just ran at me. I couldn't be exact but there was a few – six or seven, maybe more. I didn't attack them. From what I can remember, I was always going backwards and just swinging and trying to keep people away from me but they just kept coming towards me.

"You wouldn't think people would run at someone who has got a knife. I didn't intend to wound anyone at all, but they attacked me. There was no other option. They ran at me; they attacked me. They had me surrounded at one point so I couldn't go anywhere even if I wanted to."

Asked if he had thought about putting the knives down, Bishop, from Sidcup, said: "They would have been used on me."

Brian Altman QC, prosecuting, suggested he was trying to portray himself to the jury as the victim.

Bishop replied: "I'm not, because someone ended up dying. But I was the one that got attacked."

The court has heard that Knox, 18, was stabbed five times and died later in hospital. Bishop denies murder and five charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to five other youths.

The case continues.

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