Friday 22 August 2008

Brother of knifed Harry Potter star Rob Knox speaks for the first time

For 17 years they were inseparable, brothers as well as best friends who did everything together.

Tragically, it was this close bond which led Harry Potter star Robbie Knox to die - stabbed to death protecting his younger brother Jamie.

Now, in his first interview since the shocking killing, Jamie has told how he will never get over Robbie's death and how he is determined to become a movie star to keep his brother's memory alive.

"I just wish I'd had the chance to tell Rob how much I loved him and always looked up to him," said 17-year-old Jamie. "He died protecting me, like he always did and I am immensely proud of him. Rob died for a cause, which was me.

"I can't believe he was snatched away so quickly. Rob always looked after me. He was fair and decent, someone I wanted to be.

"Rob and I were the best of friends. We could have the biggest fight and within five minutes we'd be laughing about it. We couldn't hold a grudge.

"I copied everything he did. I looked up to him a hell of a lot, although I never used to tell him. There's such a huge void in my life now he's gone."

Robbie, 18, died on May 24 just two days after he finished filming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Jamie, Rob and a close-knit group of friends had decided to celebrate at the Metro Bar near their home in Sidcup, Kent. "It was just a fun hangout and we were having a laugh dancing to the cheesy music," said Jamie.

But a man allegedly armed with two knives arrived at the bar and is said to have threatened Jamie.

Robbie instinctively stepped in to defend his little brother and was attacked himself. The fight then spilled on to the street. It was only later Jamie realised his brother was lying on the pavement covered in blood.

"Everything happened so quickly," said Jamie. "One minute we were enjoying ourselves, the next there was a fight and Rob was on the ground and it was too late. It felt surreal, like I was living out a nightmare."

Four other friends were injured - one, Dean Saunders, 21, is now in a wheelchair after he was stabbed three times in the neck.

Rob was the 14th teenager to be killed in London since January, yet the toll has continued to climb and has now reached 21.

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