Robert Torrens Knight (born 4 August 1969) is a Northern Ireland loyalist, who belonged to the North Antrim and Londonderry Brigade of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA).
Knight spent his formative years living at his grandmother's farmhouse in the rural area of Aghadowey, County Londonderry, after his parents separated.
In early adulthood he developed an addiction to poker gambling machines, which resulted in his exposure of stealing money from his grandmother to fund his habit.
Their target was the Rising Sun bar in Greysteel, where Knight, Stephen Irwin, Jeffrey Deeney and Brian McNeill shot eight dead (six Catholics and two Protestants).
After the leading gunman, Irwin shouted "trick or treat", he and Deeney raked the bar with gunfire, while Knight, armed with a shotgun, stood at the door.
[8] In 2008 Sinn Féin councillor Billy Leonard claimed that Knight was a member of the Kilrea branch of the Apprentice Boys.
[9][10] Knight also stated that John Dallat and Billy Leonard were taking part in a "hate campaign" against him and challenged the nationalist politicians "to get off his back".
[13] The judge said "The injuries sustained were consistent with a vicious attack on the two women and of particular concern in this case is that you kicked Ms Nicholl while she was on the ground, prone and unable to defend herself.... People who do that can expect no mercy or sympathy from these courts.