Chatham, England — A 25-year-old man has confessed to attempting to murder an Army officer in a violent knife assault near a military barracks in Kent last July. The defendant, Anthony Esan, admitted to the charges during a court appearance via video link from a secure hospital facility.
The incident occurred on July 23, 2024, when Lt. Col. Mark Teeton was stabbed repeatedly in Sally Port Gardens, adjacent to the Brompton Barracks in Chatham. Eyewitness accounts indicated that Esan aggressively approached the officer from behind before launching the attack. Following the assault, Esan fled the scene on a moped but was apprehended by law enforcement approximately 25 minutes later near his residence in Rochester.
Throughout the legal proceedings, concerns about Esan’s mental fitness for trial led to multiple delays. During Thursday’s session at Maidstone Crown Court, he also acknowledged possessing two bladed weapons at the time of the incident. Lt. Col. Teeton was present in the courtroom to hear the pleas, having endured serious injuries that required emergency surgery.
Prosecutor Rajni Prashar detailed the attack, highlighting the quick and brutal nature of Esan’s actions. She described how he forced Teeton to the ground before inflicting numerous stab wounds and fleeing the scene. Esan discarded two knives at the location and had concealed three additional blades on his motorcycle.
Katie Samways of the Crown Prosecution Service condemned Esan’s assault on a member of the armed forces, emphasizing the soldier’s vulnerability while simply walking in public. She noted that Esan has never offered a rationale for his violent behavior but expressed relief that he has finally acknowledged responsibility for the crime.
Brompton Barracks serves as the headquarters for the British Army’s 1 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment. Lt. Col. Teeton, who has been part of the military since 2001 and currently works as a course manager in the Corps of Royal Engineers, has thanked the public for their generosity following the attack. An online fundraiser has garnered nearly £50,000 to assist him and his family during recovery.
Teeton was discharged from the hospital in August, reflecting on the “horrific experience” and expressing gratitude for the overwhelming support from the public. “Our family cannot thank those people enough,” he remarked, highlighting the emotional burden faced by himself and his loved ones since the incident.
Sentencing for Esan is scheduled to take place from February 9 to 11 at Maidstone Crown Court, a fitting closure to a case that has profoundly affected the military community and underscored concerns over public safety.