A stabbing incident outside an Army barracks in Kent left Lieutenant Colonel Mark Teeton, 47, in a ‘serious but stable’ condition in the hospital. The attack occurred on Tuesday evening, and the suspect, Anthony Esan, 24, was arrested and charged with attempted murder and possession of an offensive weapon. Esan was remanded in custody and is set to appear in court on August 22.
Lt Col Mark Teeton, a course manager for the Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment, was identified as the victim of the stabbing. He has been in the Army for 24 years and has been awarded a long service and good conduct medal.
Esan was reported to have attacked Lt Col Teeton by pulling him to the ground, stabbing him repeatedly, and then driving away on a moped. Witnesses were able to provide information that led to Esan’s arrest. The police found a set of kitchen knives on the back of the moped, with two knives showing signs of use.
Lt Col Teeton’s wife sought help from soldiers and neighbors after the attack, and he was airlifted to the hospital with injuries consistent with stab wounds. The attack took place near Brompton Barracks, where Lt Col Teeton has been a course manager for almost six years.
Prior to the incident, Lt Col Teeton had run 44 miles across Normandy to raise money for Combat Stress, a charity providing mental health support to armed forces veterans. He had raised almost £3,000 for the charity and expressed his dedication to supporting veterans’ mental health.
The community, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Leader of the opposition Rishi Sunak, and Chief of General Staff General Sir Roly Walker, all expressed shock and support for Lt Col Teeton and his family. The British Army assured that they would collaborate with Kent Police to understand the incident and support the investigation.
The attack has raised concerns about the safety of military personnel, especially in their residential areas. The incident serves as a reminder of the risks that soldiers face both on and off duty and highlights the importance of mental health support for veterans.
