JohnCenaFan28
03-04-2009, 09:47 PM
The knife thug who killed Harry Potter star Rob Knox is facing a life sentence as police admitted a blunder which might have cost the actor's life.
Karl Bishop, 22, was found guilty of stabbing Mr Knox, 18, five times outside a club in their home town of Sidcup, Kent, in May, last year.
Two months earlier, complaints were made to police that Bishop had attempted to rob and then burgled another youth but the knife-carrying thug avoided being charged as his victim said he did not want to give evidence against him.
Two police officers have now been given written warnings after the Metropolitan Police carried out an investigation and found standards had not been met.
But the force insists "lessons have been learned", saying in a statement: "Measures have been taken, including the introduction of a new system to help monitor and arrest outstanding suspects for all violent crime offences, including knife crime.
"The Knox family was kept informed of this investigation throughout and of all measures taken as a result of its findings."
Bishop was remanded in custody to be sentenced on Thursday for murdering Rob and wounding four of his friends.
Earlier, Rob's parents Colin and Sally Knox wept in the Old Bailey courtroom as the judge was told they would never forgive Bishop - but the cowardly killer did not hear their words as he had refused to come up from the cells.
In an impact statement, Mrs Knox said: "As a mother and parent I can never forgive the person responsible for taking my son Robert's life, or the devastation that has been caused by these actions.
"Being a mother I am fully aware of the effects of our loss of Robert, not only on myself and Colin as parents, but more so on Jamie, Robert's younger brother. Jamie has not only lost his brother, he has lost his best friend, confidante and protector."
-Nova
Karl Bishop, 22, was found guilty of stabbing Mr Knox, 18, five times outside a club in their home town of Sidcup, Kent, in May, last year.
Two months earlier, complaints were made to police that Bishop had attempted to rob and then burgled another youth but the knife-carrying thug avoided being charged as his victim said he did not want to give evidence against him.
Two police officers have now been given written warnings after the Metropolitan Police carried out an investigation and found standards had not been met.
But the force insists "lessons have been learned", saying in a statement: "Measures have been taken, including the introduction of a new system to help monitor and arrest outstanding suspects for all violent crime offences, including knife crime.
"The Knox family was kept informed of this investigation throughout and of all measures taken as a result of its findings."
Bishop was remanded in custody to be sentenced on Thursday for murdering Rob and wounding four of his friends.
Earlier, Rob's parents Colin and Sally Knox wept in the Old Bailey courtroom as the judge was told they would never forgive Bishop - but the cowardly killer did not hear their words as he had refused to come up from the cells.
In an impact statement, Mrs Knox said: "As a mother and parent I can never forgive the person responsible for taking my son Robert's life, or the devastation that has been caused by these actions.
"Being a mother I am fully aware of the effects of our loss of Robert, not only on myself and Colin as parents, but more so on Jamie, Robert's younger brother. Jamie has not only lost his brother, he has lost his best friend, confidante and protector."
-Nova