‘My favourite food is rare steak’: ‘Crazed cannibal’ launches horrifying attack on a stranger and bit his ear off as he makes chilling remark
Chad Feeney was staying at a YMCA hostel when he was woken up by a stranger returning from a night out
A MAN had half his ear bitten off by a “crazed cannibal” who told him he loved eating “rare steak” before launching the blood-thirsty attack.
Chad Feeney, 25, lost the top half of his ear and needed nine stitches following the gruesome assault.
The engine assembler was staying at a YMCA hostel when he was woken up in the early hours of the morning by a stranger returning from a night out.
Chad got up to chat to the man in the common room – before the stranger launched his sickening attack.
Chad said: “We got onto the subject of food. I mentioned I loved pizza and he said he loved a rare steak.
“Then before I knew what was happened he jumped on top of me and started repeatedly punching me in the face.
“I tried to fight back but he was bigger than me. Then I felt him bite my right ear, it sounded like someone was eating lettuce.
“There was a massive chomp and then there was blood everywhere. He had blood all over his mouth and was laughing manically to himself.”
Chad says he was unable to find the missing part of his ear – and fears the man may have eaten it.
He said: “He was like a crazed cannibal, he reminds me of Hannibal Lecter.
“They should lock him up and throw away the key. He was a complete lunatic.”
Chad had moved into the hostel in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham a week before the attack after falling on hard times.
It had been a temporary measure while he found permanent accommodation nearer his work at the BMW factory.
Police were called following last Saturday’s alleged attack and the man was evicted from the hostel.
Chad needed nine stitches to his ear as well as plastic surgery at the city’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
He said: “He bit through the cartilage and some was showing so they had to remove more cartilage to take it back under the skin.
“I had to have nine stitches and now I'm missing half an ear.
“It's knocked my confidence massively. At the time I was drunk and it didn't hurt but long term I've got a permanent disfigurement.”
And he fears the man may come back for more – or attack his 22-year-old barmaid girlfriend, Keeley Benton.
He added: “This guy's a complete and utter maniac. He's out there roaming the streets probably biting other people's ears off.
“I don't think any of us can feel safe until he's locked away. The police should find him and put him in prison before there's another attack.
“I'm scared he's going back for a second course. I'm not staying in this hostel any more, it's not safe.”
A spokesman for West Midlands police said: “Police were called to the YMCA in Sutton Coldfield at around 7.20am last Friday to a report of an assault.
“A 25-year-old man was taken to hospital with a serious injury to his ear where he had to undergo surgery.
“Officers are carrying out enquiries to establish what happened. Anyone with information is asked to call 101.”