Man admits attempted murder of soldier near Chatham army barracks

A man has pleaded guilty to trying to murder a uniformed Army officer in a knife attack outside a barracks in Kent.

Anthony Esan, 25, admitted to the attempted murder of Lt Col Mark Teeton, who he stabbed “repeatedly” in Sally Port Gardens, near Brompton Barracks in Chatham, on 23 July 2024.

Esan was arrested near his home in Rochester about 25 minutes after the attack.

The case had been delayed several times over concerns around Esan’s mental health and fitness to plead.

Esan appeared at Maidstone Crown Court via video-link from Broadmoor Hospital on Thursday.

He also admitted to the possession of two bladed weapons.

At a previous court hearing, prosecutor Rajni Prashar said a man was seen “running up behind” Teeton before he “pulled the soldier to the ground”.

He stabbed him “repeatedly” and drove away on a moped, she continued.

Two knives were dropped at the scene and a further three were found stored on the bike, according to the prosecutor.

Brompton Barracks is the headquarters of the British Army’s 1 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment.

Teeton, who is in his 40s, was taken to hospital with serious injuries after the attack.

He was discharged in August.

An online fundraiser raised almost £50,000 to support him and his family.

The army officer, who has worked in various roles in the armed forces since 2001, earlier thanked the “overwhelming” generosity of strangers who had donated towards his recovery.

“We took strength and comfort from all the messages when we had just been through the most horrific experience,” he said.

“Our family cannot thank those people enough.”

Esan is due to be sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court from 9-11 February.