Army Officer's Wife Saves Husband in Lee Rigby-Style Knife Attack Outside Barracks
A courageous wife saved her uniformed Army officer husband as he was repeatedly stabbed by an attacker who attempted to "cut his head off like Lee Rigby", a court has heard. Lieutenant Colonel Mark Teeton, a serving officer in the British Army for twenty-six years, tearfully expressed being "forever in gratitude" to the heroes, including his wife Eileen, who came to his aid near Brompton Barracks in Chatham, Kent, on July 23, 2024.
Brutal Attack Leaves Officer Wary and Grateful
Lt Col Teeton, who has completed two tours in Iraq and two tours in Afghanistan, told Maidstone Crown Court that the vicious assault has left him wary of others approaching him. Fighting back tears, he described how he still relives the incident in his mind, noting it as a blessing that he was unconscious for much of it, sparing him from remembering the full horror. "I don't think I will truly appreciate the courage shown by my wife and strangers to thwart the attack and then the quick thinking of an array of people that helped save my life. They are all heroes, and I am forever in gratitude to them," he stated emotionally.
Medical staff informed him it was a miracle he survived, given the extensive injuries: a large wound to the right side of his neck, plus stab wounds to his chest, abdomen, groin, arms, and thighs. He expressed disbelief at being attacked so savagely on British streets, in a place where he felt safe.
Wife's Harrowing Account and Court Proceedings
Mrs Teeton recalled rushing to help a soldier lying on the ground, only to realize it was her husband. "I watched horrified by his continued savage attack, and realised it was my husband on the ground and he was carving at his face and neck," she said in court. In her victim impact statement, she recounted visiting him in hospital, where he asked if people at work knew what the attacker tried to do, then revealed: "Cut my head off! Like Lee Rigby."
Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC described the attack as vicious and deliberate, targeting Lt Col Teeton because of his appearance as a soldier. Anthony Esan, 25, pleaded guilty to attempted murder and possession of two bladed weapons in January, avoiding a trial set for this month. The sentencing is expected to last three days.
Background of the Attacker and Disturbing Evidence
Esan, born in Nigeria and living in Southwark, London, had made several unsuccessful attempts to join the British Army, starting in 2020. Leading up to the attack, he conducted online searches for knives, terrorist attacks in West Africa, and TikTok videos of knife attacks. Notably, on July 16, he searched "Woolwich soldier murdered", referencing the 2013 Lee Rigby attack, where an off-duty soldier was killed by extremists in London.
Footage shows Lt Col Teeton walking home from the barracks at 5:50 PM, engaging with Esan at 5:53 PM after Esan falsely claimed his moped broke down and asked to use a phone. Ms Morgan explained this was a lie to distract and disarm him. When Lt Col Teeton went to help, the attack began, with Esan using two knives in a harrowing assault witnessed by onlookers.
Mental Health and Legal Implications
Esan had been referred to mental health services in 2020, reporting hearing voices, and in January 2023, his mother contacted services concerned about knives in his bag. Expert witness Professor Nigel Blackwood stated that Esan began to entertain murderous fantasies eighteen months before enacting them. All experts agree on a diagnosis of schizophrenia at the time of the attack, though Professor Blackwood noted it as a difficult case due to Esan's impoverished account of his behaviour.
The court continues to hear sentencing arguments, with Lt Col Teeton and his wife emphasizing the bravery of those who intervened, saving his life in a shocking incident that echoes past tragedies on British soil.
