Image source, Kent Police

Our live coverage of the Anthony Esan sentencing is now ending.

Anthony Esan, 25, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of seven years and 162 days for the attempted murder of uniformed Army officer Mark Teeton.

Esan, who repeatedly stabbed Lt Col Mark Teeton outside Brompton Barracks in Chatham in 2024, was told he's unlikely to ever be released back in the community

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Lt Col Mark Teeton has said Anthony Esan attempted to behead him during the knife attack in July 2024.

He said the 25-year-old tried to murder him “like Lee Rigby", referring to the soldier who was killed in 2013 by extremists in London.

Teeton told Maidstone Crown Court on Monday that it was a "miracle" he survived after suffering a neck injury and further stab wounds to the front and back of his chest, abdomen, groin, arm and thigh.

Leading up to the stabbing, Esan had searched online posts about a terrorist attack in West Africa and viewed TikTok videos of knife attacks, the court heard.

He also searched "Woolwich soldier murdered" on the internet, which prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said was plainly a reference to the Lee Rigby killing.

The sentencing of Anthony Esan at Maidstone Crown Court today was recorded.

This does not normally happen.

The judge has given permission for his sentencing remarks to be filmed, given the public interest in the case.

Det Insp Lee Neiles of Kent Police said Anthony Esan was an "extremely dangerous man".

He said Esan was "intent" on killing Lt Col Mark Teeton and did not care what impact it would have on the soldier's family and friends, or anyone who witnessed the "deeply distressing incident".

Describing the stabbing as "a harrowing incident for all", Det Insp Neiles thanked everyone who assisted, including the emergency responders.

Image source, UK Parliament

Lauren Edwards, Labour MP for Rochester and Strood, says the details that have emerged in court this week are "deeply distressing, especially for Lt Col Mark Teeton, his family, and military families".

"Today’s sentencing marks an important step towards justice for Mark and his family, who have shown immense courage," she adds.

"I hope that today’s sentence helps them to heal from this traumatic attack."

Anthony Esan stabbed Lt Col Mark Teeton in Sally Port Gardens, Chatham, on 23 July, 2024.

The attack took place near Brompton Barracks, the headquarters of the British Army's 1 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment.

Teeton, a chief instructor at the regiment, had begun walking from the barracks at around 17:50 BST to his home a short distance away.

He was only 20m (66ft) away from his front door when he was attacked minutes later.

Image source, Google

Lieutenant Colonel Mark Teeton has responded to the sentencing of Anthony Esan for repeatedly stabbing him in 2024.

"We welcome the sentence that has been handed to my attacker today," he said outside the court.

"It reflects an incredible bank of evidence gathered by the police and presented by our barrister of the premeditation and planning involved in the attack against myself, an officer wearing British military uniform.

"Knife attacks do not just impact the victim, they impact the families and communities where attacks occur.

"We feel the pain caused by every knife attack that we see on the news, and our thoughts will always be with those affected".

Simon Jones
Reporting from court

The Teeton family have been commended repeatedly for the way they have coped following the stabbing.

In a statement outside court, Lt Col Teeton was quick to thank all those who helped save his life - not least his wife, who came to his aid during the attack by Anthony Esan.

Now sentencing has happened, the family must try to rebuild their lives.

Simon Jones
Reporting from court

Reporters and cameras are waiting outside the court for statements from the police and Lt Col Teeton.

It comes after Anthony Esan was sentenced to life imprisonment for attempting to murder the soldier.

Mark Teeton's wife was described in court by the judge as "remarkable".

He said she was calling the police while attempting to push Anthony Esan off her husband as he stabbed him.

Eileen Teeton had been in her garden when she heard cries for help in the street and rushed outside.

She ran over to see a soldier being attacked - only to realise it was her husband.

Judge Mr Justice Picken said in court earlier that Anthony Esan had had a dispute with his brother, who was in the army, before stabbing Lt Col Mark Teeton.

He said the 25-year-old had told a psychiatrist in prison after his arrest that he had gone looking for an officer to attack, following the argument with his brother.

"Clearly there was some sort of issue between you and your soldier brother," said Mr Justice Picken.

Lt Col Mark Teeton, who was repeatedly stabbed by Anthony Esan, told the court he had served in the armed forces since 2001.

The 48-year-old was a chief instructor at the British Army's School of MIlitary Engineering when he was attacked.

Here are pictures of his time in the army.

Image source, Mark Teeton

Image source, Mark Teeton

Kent Police have shared footage of Anthony Esan's arrest after he attacked uniformed army officer Lt Col Mark Teeton.

Watch it below.

Lt Col Mark Teeton's wife Eileen had told the court on Monday how she rushed to help a soldier lying on the ground - and then realised it was her husband.

After hearing cries for help while in her garden and rushing outside, Mrs Teeton pushed Anthony Esan off his victim before seeing he had a knife.

She said she "felt a wave of terror" and that she may need to run for her life, but he did not to go after her.

"I watched horrified by his continued savage attack," Mrs Teeton said.

"I realised it was my husband on the ground and he was carving at his face and neck," she continued.

She tried to shield her eldest daughter who had been having an ice cream, and arrived back to the scene where Teeton was in a "devastating" condition.

Mrs Teeton said she could "not stand by" seeing a soldier lying on the ground.

"But that wasn't a soldier, that was Mark, my husband, a father, a brother, an uncle," she added.

"We will live with this forever, the scars will fade but your attack will never be erased."

Simon Jones
Reporting from court

There was no reaction from Esan as he was sentenced.

The officer's wife, Eileen Teeton, was staring at him intently as he left the courtroom.

The judge has paid tribute to the Teeton family who have displayed "immense courage".

Anthony Esan has been sentenced to life imprisonment for a minimum of seven years and 162 days.

However, the judge says, in light of psychiatric evidence, the criteria for a hospital order are met.

This means he will be readmitted and detained at Broadmoor Hospital

"You will be detained in hospital as long as necessary," he adds.

Anthony Esan will be detained in hospital, the judge says.

This is due to his ill mental health.

We are reaching the conclusion of the judge's sentencing remarks.

The judge has spent the last 50 minutes carefully outlining the reasons for the decision he is about to deliver.

Mr Justice Picken says Anthony Esan is unlikely to ever be released into the community.

Image source, PA Media

Anthony Esan made references to the “day of the devil”, and also told officers his name was Esan, which meant “karma”, when he was arrested, the court heard.

They were terms he searched for online in the lead up to the attack, the court was told on Tuesday.

He also searched for knives and TikTok videos of knife attacks.

Simon Jones
Reporting from court

The court has heard the attack on Lt Col Teeton was deliberate, planned and targeted.

Esan had had three applications to join the army rejected.

He had carried out searches on the internet about the murder of the soldier Lee Rigby in Woolwich.

"You were looking for a soldier with the intention that that soldier should die," judge Mr Justice Picken adds.