Brutal Knife Attack on Army Officer: Attacker Researched Lee Rigby Murder Before Stabbing Lt Col Teeton
Chatham, Kent – A 25-year-old man who repeatedly stabbed a uniformed British Army officer outside his home in a “vicious and deliberate” attack had previously searched online for details of the 2013 murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby, a court has heard.
Anthony Esan, from Rochester, pleaded guilty in January to the attempted murder of Lieutenant Colonel Mark Teeton near Brompton Barracks in Chatham on July 23, 2024. He also admitted possessing two bladed weapons. Esan is currently being sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court in a hearing that began on Monday, February 9, 2026, and is expected to last three days.
Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC told the court that Lt Col Teeton—dressed in full Army uniform, including boots and beret—was specifically targeted because of his appearance as a soldier. The victim, chief instructor at the British Army’s school of military engineering, suffered multiple stab wounds and required emergency surgery, though he has since been discharged from hospital.
In the lead-up to the assault, Esan conducted searches for knives, a terrorist incident in West Africa, and TikTok videos of knife attacks abroad. On July 16, he looked up “Woolwich soldier murdered”—a clear reference to the Islamist terrorist killing of 25-year-old father Fusilier Lee Rigby near Woolwich barracks in southeast London.
The attack unfolded in Sally Port Gardens, Chatham. Court footage showed Esan parking his rented moped, removing his helmet but keeping a balaclava on, and accessing a box likely containing the knives. Around 5:50 p.m., Lt Col Teeton was walking home from the barracks when Esan approached, claiming his moped had broken down and asking to borrow the officer’s phone.
The prosecution described this as a deliberate lie to distract and disarm Teeton. As the officer attempted to enter Esan’s number into his phone, the stabbing began in the middle of the road. Dashcam video captured Esan inflicting wounds, Teeton getting up and trying to flee, and Esan pursuing him to continue the assault.
Witnesses described the scene as “harrowing” and one of the “worst things they’ve ever seen.” Prosecutors noted it was “nothing short of miraculous” that the injuries were not fatal, given their number, location, and force.
Lt Col Teeton’s wife heard his shouts for help, rushed outside, and bravely pulled Esan away from her husband. Esan had shown a keen interest in knives—police recovered packaging for two “Rambo”-style blades from his bedroom. He had rented the moped in late June, using it for reconnaissance the day before while “looking for a target.”
On the morning of the attack, Esan watched a documentary about Kyle Rittenhouse, the American acquitted in a high-profile shooting case. He lied to his mother about going job-hunting when he left home on his moped around 1:12 p.m.
Esan, born in Nigeria and a UK resident since 2009 (living in Southwark, London, and later Rochester), repeatedly tried to join the British Army but was rejected—initially in 2020 due to eczema and a nut allergy, then in 2021 citing a “psychotic disorder” and eczema. Further applications were abandoned or withdrawn for health reasons.
He had a history of mental health issues, including hearing voices, and was under services like Medway Early Intervention. Just days before the attack, on July 19, he bought knives from Argos in Strood and attended a mental health appointment where no obvious psychosis was observed. He requested switching from injected anti-psychotic medication to oral, but this was denied.
The court is examining what Esan’s mental health history reveals about his state at the time. Lt Col Teeton, who fought back tears while giving evidence, expressed “forever in gratitude” to those who aided him.
This report on ciceros.org’s Crime section is compiled with assistance from Grok (built by xAI), who helped summarize and restructure the latest court details for clarity and readability. The sentencing continues this week.
