A 25-year-old man has pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of a senior British Army officer in a violent attack outside military barracks in Kent.
Guilty plea entered from secure hospital
Anthony Esan, from Rochester, admitted his guilt via video link from Broadmoor Hospital during a hearing at Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday, 8 January 2026. Esan, wearing a blue and white jumper, pleaded guilty to both the attempted murder of Lieutenant Colonel Mark Teeton and possession of two bladed weapons.
The case had experienced significant delays while investigations were conducted into Esan's mental health and his fitness to enter a plea. The attack itself occurred much earlier, on 23 July 2024, in Sally Port Gardens, near Brompton Barracks in Chatham.
A brutal and targeted assault
Prosecutor Rajni Prashar outlined the shocking details of the incident during a previous hearing at Medway Magistrates' Court. A member of the public dialled 999 to report a stabbing, noting that the victim was a soldier in uniform.
The court heard how a man was seen "running up behind" Lt Col Teeton before pulling him to the ground and stabbing him "repeatedly." The assailant then fled the scene on a moped. Two knives were dropped at the scene, and a further three were discovered stored on the bike.
Lieutenant Colonel Teeton, who was present in court to hear his attacker confess, sustained serious injuries and was rushed to hospital following the assault.
Victim's service and community support
Brompton Barracks serves as the headquarters for the British Army's 1 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment. Lt Col Teeton is a chartered engineer who works as a course manager within the Army’s Corps of Royal Engineers, with a career in the armed forces stretching back to 2001.
In a remarkable show of support, a GoFundMe page set up for the officer and his family has raised close to £50,000. Lt Col Teeton declined to comment outside the court following the guilty plea.
Anthony Esan is now awaiting sentencing, with a hearing scheduled at Maidstone Crown Court to take place between 9 and 11 February.
