A FRIEND of murdered Harry Potter actor Rob Knox was nearly paralysed by a stab wound received on the night his friend died.

Dean Saunders, aged 22, was stabbed in the neck on May 24 outside the Metro Bar, Station Road, Sidcup, causing spinal damage and now uses a walking stick to move around.

Still traumatised by the incident, Mr Saunders spoke at the Old Bailey today (Feb 11) from behind a screen.

Mr Saunders said he saw Karl Bishop, the man accused of his friend's murder and five other stabbings, looking through the bar window that night with an "evil grin".

Later he was told someone was outside with a knife and looked out to see his friend Nicky Lee Jones in an argument.

Mr Saunders said his last memory was leaving through the fire exit and telling a friend to close the door behind him.

He next remembers someone trying to keep him awake and only fully regained consciousness while undergoing an MRI scan in hospital.

One week before Saunders said he was punched by Bishop in an argument over a mobile phone.

A friend of Mr Saunders and Mr Knox, Charley Grimley, said Bishop shouted at the group afterwards, saying "you don't know who you're messing with" and "I've put people down".

Charley also said he heard Bishop say: "I'm going to come back next week and someone's going to die."

But defence counsel Ian Bourne denies that was said.

Charley was stabbed in both the face and arm during the incident on May 24.

Bishop claims he was acting in self-defence and was surrounded by a group of 20 to 25 people.

Mr Bourne says the group waited for him to put away the knives before attacking and members of the group had beaten up Bishop the previous week.

Bishop, aged 21, of Beaver Lodge, Carlton Road, Sidcup, denies murder and five counts of wounding with intent to cause GBH.

The trial continues.