A Kent solicitor is calling for a change in the law that would force convicted defendants to come back into court to hear a victim impact statement.

The call comes after Karl Bishop - who was found guilty of the murder of Harry Potter actor Rob Knox - refused to return to the dock to hear the effect Rob's death had on his family.

Gareth Johnson, from Dartord, who specialises in criminal justice, wants to give judges the power to prevent this from happening in the future.

He said: "Victim impact statements are a fairly new thing. It's a great opportunity for victims of crime to have their say about what should happen to the convicted defendant.

Audio: Gareth Johnson explains why he thinks there should be a change in the law >>>

"There are measures in place that enable judges to make orders to force convicted defendants to go in and out of custody. But there isn't a specific power to order a convicted defendant to come back to court to hear the consequences of what they have done.

"I don't think it would take a major shift in the law - most people would accept that it is right for the judge to have that discretion.

"One way it could be done is to have amendment to the Contempt of Court Act, so it actually becomes a contempt of court to refuse to come back to hear the victim impact statement. This would give the judge the discretion to have the defendant by force brought forward."

Mr Johnson, who is also the Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Dartford, added that the judge should retain the right to not bring the convicted defendant brought back into court.

Bishop, 22, from Sidcup, was jailed for life at the Old Bailey for Mr Knox's murder. He will serve a minimum of 20 years.

The 18-year-old, from Maidstone Road, on the border of Swanley and Bexley, died after he was stabbed five times outside the Metro Bar in Sidcup in May last year.

He had just finished filming Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, which is due out this summer.

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