In 2026, it was reported that Anthony Esan, then 25, was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court, Kent, for the attempted murder of a high-ranking British Army officer. On Friday, 13 February 2026, Esan was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of seven years and 162 days. Due to a diagnosis of schizophrenia, the judge ordered that he be detained in a high-security hospital for as long as necessary under the Mental Health Act.
The investigation established that in July 2024, Esan ambushed Lieutenant Colonel Mark Teeton outside Brompton Barracks in Chatham, Kent. Esan lured the officer by claiming his moped had broken down and asking to borrow a phone. When the victim was distracted, Esan launched a “savage” attack using two knives bought from Argos, inflicting multiple life-threatening stab wounds to his neck, chest, abdomen, groin, and limbs. Esan had specifically targeted the officer because he was wearing his British military uniform.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that the attack was a “vicious and deliberate” act of premeditated violence. Maidstone Crown Court heard that Esan had previously been rejected from joining the British Army in 2021 due to a “psychotic disorder.” In the days leading up to the ambush, he conducted chilling internet searches, including “Woolwich soldier murdered,” a reference to the 2013 killing of Fusilier Lee Rigby. Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC stated that Esan had attempted to decapitate the officer, mirroring the extremist methods used in the Rigby case.
The judge noted that while Esan’s schizophrenia diminished his responsibility at the time of the attack, the level of planning involved was significant. The victim’s wife, Eileen Teeton, witnessed the attack from their home and described seeing the defendant “carving” at her husband’s neck. For his actions in Chatham, Kent, the court determined that Esan posed a severe danger to the public and required indefinite psychiatric containment alongside his criminal sentence.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Anthony Esan was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Life imprisonment.
- Minimum Term: Seven years and 162 days before parole eligibility.
- Hospital Order: Indefinite detention in a secure psychiatric facility.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court following guilty pleas to attempted murder and two counts of possessing a bladed weapon.
- Weaponry: Use of two knives in a public place.
Impact and Public Protection
Lieutenant Colonel Mark Teeton, a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan with 26 years of service, expressed gratitude for his survival while acknowledging the lasting pain caused by knife crime. The sentencing reflects the “incredible bank of evidence” gathered by Kent Police, documenting the premeditation and specific targeting of military personnel.
Authorities state that Esan will be managed under strict mental health and criminal justice supervision for the rest of his life. His history of hearing voices and his rejection from the military will remain central to his psychiatric risk assessment. Any future consideration for release would require the approval of the Parole Board and medical professionals, ensuring he is returned to the community only if he no longer poses a threat to the public or service members in Kent and beyond.
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