Royal Navy sailors bit off body parts in bar brawl

Malpas man Henry Rooms, 26, tore off part of Anthony McCallum's ear and spat it at his face.

Then McCallum, 32, bit off part of Rooms' nose and it landed on the floor of a bar in the Scottish town of Helensburgh in February 2024.

The pair pleaded guilty to their roles in the fight this week.

Although separate cases, the description of what happened was nearly identical.

Prosecutor Euan Nicholson said the ships of both Royal Navy men were docked but they did not know each other.

They were socialising and consuming alcohol at the Clyde Bar when, at about 1am on February 10, 2024, there was a "minor altercation" at the bar. Words were exchanged but the men were separated.

The case was heard at Dumbarton Sheriff Court in Scotland. (Image: Newsquest)

About 30 seconds later, Rooms was sitting chatting to others in a nearby booth. McCallum picked up a pint glass from the bar and struck him to the left side of the head.

He then repeatedly struck Rooms with a closed fist to the head and face.

Rooms stood up and grabbed his attacker and the two men started to wrestle.

Others tried to intervene but both kept hold of each other.

Then Rooms leaned his head into McCallum and bit off a portion of his right ear.

He spat the piece of bitten ear into the face of the other Navy man.

Several others attempted to separate them but they still continued to wrestle.

McCallum then pulled Rooms' face towards his own and bit off part of his nose, which fell to the floor.

After another minute, the men were finally separated by bar staff and other military personnel. Rooms was ejected by bar staff and he returned to the naval base.

The portion of ear was not recovered and McCallum was treated at hospital, the wound being dressed and left to heal.

The entire brief fight was captured on CCTV and shown at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on August 5.

McCallum, of Thornhill Way, Coatbridge, admitted assaulting Rooms, striking him with a glass, engaging in a stand-up fight and biting his nose, to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

The Crown accepted a not guilty plea to a second assault where he bit the arm of another man. He was also not guilty of resisting arrest, a charge aggravated by a connection with serious organised crime.

Rooms, of The Hough, Malpas, Cheshire, was said to have no previous convictions.

He pleaded guilty to assault, under provocation, struggling violently with McCallum and biting his ear to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

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The Crown accepted he was not guilty of assaulting a second person and biting his hand.

Sheriff John McElroy KC summarised the case as "things deteriorated" after the pint glass hit.

Defence solicitor Kenny McGowan, representing Rooms, said the case had taken longer to resolve as the CCTV was handed over in McCallum's case, not his client's.

Brian McGuire, acting for McCallum, said it was a "serious matter". He said his client left the service "in no small measure due to this matter".

Sheriff McElroy deferred sentence on McCallum until August 28, and Rooms until the following day.