Rochester Young Offenders Institution, where the attack happened

by Keith Hunt

A thug who gleefully boasted about tasting the flesh of a prison officer while he was being restrained in his cell is facing sentence.

John Schock declared after the terrifying attack: “Whoever’s hand I bit I have still got skin in my mouth and it tastes lovely.”

The 23-year-old, of no fixed address, denied wounding Keith Coombs with intent, at Rochester Young Offenders Institution in June 2010.

He also denied assaulting Aaron Fill causing actual bodily harm and assaulting Russell Webb at Elmley Prison, Sheppey, in June and July 2011.

He was convicted of the three offences and remanded in custody until sentence on February 22. The jury could not reach a verdict on a third assault charge.

Mr Coombs described at Maidstone Crown Court the “intense pain” he felt as Schock bit between the base of his thumb and index finger of his left hand.

"whoever’s hand i bit i have still got skin in my mouth and it tastes lovely" – biter john schock

Prosecutor Gary Pons said Schock, who was flanked the secure dock by six prison officers, accepted he bit each prison officer but claimed he was acting in lawful self-defence because they were using unnecessary and excessive force against him.

Mr Coombs was one of four officers attempting to restrain Schock in his cell on June 30 2010 while he was face down on his bed.

Mr Coombs said he tried to take hold of Schock’s right arm, which was tucked under his body.

“I heard one of the officers say ‘Watch out, he is biting’ and then I felt intense pain,” he said “It could have been 10 seconds, it could have been seconds, but it was intense.

“I believe he was trying to take a lump out of my hand. I was trying my hardest to bring my hand out of his mouth but there was no give.”

Mr Coombs said he still did not know how he eventually managed to release his hand from Schock’s mouth.

Describing his injury, which could not be stitched due to risk of infection and has left a permanent scar, the victim added: “There was blood, a lump out of it. It was bruised and I saw teeth marks.”

Schock was again on a segregation unit when he attacked more officers in two separate incidents at Elmley the following year.