Prisoner John Schock awaiting sentence for biting an officer at Rochester Young Offenders' Institution
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.
16/01/13
- Click here for more Medway news...
- Click here for more news from across the county...