Brompton knifeman jailed for life over 'savage' army officer attack

A man who carried out a targeted and "savage" knife attack on a uniformed British Army officer has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of seven years and 162 days.

Anthony Esan, 25, appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday to be sentenced for the attempted murder of Lieutenant Colonel Mark Teeton and two counts of possessing a bladed article.

The court heard that Esan ambushed the officer in Sally Port Gardens, Chatham, on 23 July 2024, inflicting multiple life-threatening wounds to his neck, chest, and abdomen.

Mr Justice Picken ruled that while the defendant was suffering from severe psychosis at the time of the offence, the attack was a "targeted and deliberate" attempt to kill a soldier.

The judge noted that Esan had previously researched the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby and had entertained "murderous fantasies" for approximately 18 months prior to the incident.

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Lt Col Teeton’s wife, Eileen, was commended for her "remarkable" courage after she pushed the attacker off her husband, despite the immediate threat to her own life.

In a harrowing victim impact statement, Mrs Teeton described watching the defendant "carving" at her husband’s face and neck before realizing the identity of the victim.

Lt Col Teeton, a veteran of tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, told the court it was a "miracle" he survived the assault, which left him with extensive internal and external injuries.

Medical evidence provided by forensic psychiatrists confirmed that Esan was suffering from schizophrenia and remains profoundly unwell, requiring lifelong treatment.

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The court heard that Esan had repeatedly tried and failed to join the British Army and had become immersed in violent fantasies linked to films and video games.