'Screech' Actor: I Didn't Mean To Stab Man

TV actor Dustin Diamond has told a court that he did not mean to stab a man during a Christmas Day barroom brawl.

Diamond, best known for playing Screech in the 1990s show Saved By The Bell, is charged with reckless endangerment and other offences stemming from the Wisconsin pub fight.

The 38-year-old told a jury on Friday that he was trying to protect his girlfriend, Amanda Schutz, and that he believes Casey Smet hurt himself when he grabbed the actor during the scuffle.

Diamond allegedly stabbed Mr Smet with a pocket knife during the altercation at The Grand Avenue Saloon in Port Washington, about 25 miles north of Milwaukee.

He testified that he took out the knife to deter the group from hurting Ms Schutz more.

"I figured it would take the fight out of the people," Diamond said.

Bethany Ward testified on Thursday that she punched Ms Schutz in the face during the altercation, but insisted that Ms Schutz initiated the fight.

Diamond, who has often courted controversy since his child-star days ended, described to jurors the events leading up to the scuffle.

"Things started getting louder. A woman started bumping into Amanda numerous times," he said.

As the night progressed, Diamond said the people at the next table started pointing and looking in his direction.

He told the court that after 30 years of being in the public eye he can tell when people start noticing him.

"They started taking pictures and laughing and making it a game to bump into us and try and capture it on video or camera," he said.

"We sensed that things were increasing. Everyone's phones came out.

"It felt like we were being set up for something to be on video for antagonistic purposes."

Diamond, who has pleaded not guilty, faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Mr Smet, 25, was not seriously hurt.

He testified on Thursday that he did not know he had been stabbed until he left the bar and was talking to police.