A serving British Army officer was subjected to a horrific, premeditated knife attack just metres from his barracks in a chilling incident that evoked memories of the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby.
A Savage and Sudden Assault
In July 2024, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Teeton, in full uniform, was walking the final 100 metres to Brompton Barracks in Chatham, Kent, when he was approached by Anthony Esan. The 25-year-old asked to use the officer's phone, claiming his moped had broken down. Without warning, Esan then launched a vicious assault, stabbing Lt Col Teeton around a dozen times in the neck, chest, abdomen and groin.
The attack, which lasted approximately 20 seconds, caused severe internal injuries to the officer's voice box, right lung, liver and abdominal wall. Esan, who had been lying in wait armed with two 12-inch kitchen knives, fled the scene on his moped.
Wife's Heroic Intervention and Swift Arrest
Lt Col Teeton's survival is credited in large part to the immediate actions of his wife, Eileen. Hearing shouts from the garden of their nearby home, she ran to her husband's aid and pulled the attacker away, causing him to flee. The officer was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment.
Less than an hour after the stabbing, armed police located and arrested Esan on Mooring Road, a quiet cul-de-sac in Rochester, roughly two miles from the barracks. Dramatic body-worn camera footage showed officers pointing Tasers at Esan and shouting at him not to move before he was handcuffed. A search later uncovered additional knives at his home and stored on his scooter.
Guilty Plea and Community Aftermath
Anthony Esan, a Nigerian national known to police and mental health services for psychosis and cannabis addiction, pleaded guilty to attempted murder at Maidstone Crown Court. The court heard he had become fixated on killing a soldier and knew the barracks location because his brother had previously served there. Esan is due to be sentenced in February 2025.
The attack sent shockwaves through the local community and the armed forces. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was "shocked and appalled," extending the nation's thoughts to the victim and his family. A GoFundMe page set up to support Lt Col Teeton and his family raised nearly £50,000, shared by supporters including comedian and forces advocate Al Murray.
Lt Col Teeton, a respected officer with 24 years of service, had recently run 44 miles across Normandy for the 80th anniversary of D-Day, raising thousands for the veterans' mental health charity Combat Stress. His wife, Eileen, is a well-known member of the local Military Wives Choir and had previously appeared on ITV's Lorraine programme.
