A 28-year-old man was remanded in custody today in connection with an attack on Coronation Street actor John Savident early yesterday. Michael James Smith appeared before Manchester City Magistrates charged with stabbing and robbing Mr Savident, who plays butcher Fred Elliott in the soap. Smith, of Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, Greater Manchester, was charged with wounding the 62-year-old actor with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.
He is also accused of robbing him of a wallet, four credit cards, a watch, an invitation to a Coronation Street 40th anniversary dinner, a silver money clip and £80 cash, worth a total of stg£1,500. Kristina Harrison, defending, made no application for bail and reporting restrictions were not lifted.
Magistrates made an order that Smith's full address should not be revealed in court. He was remanded until Friday, 8 December. The actor was released from Manchester Royal Infirmary yesterday after treatment for two stab wounds to his neck and cuts and bruises following the incident at his flat near Granada TV studios in Manchester.
