A judge has told a man sentenced for attempting to murder a British Army officer in a Chatham street attack that he is unlikely to ever be released into the community.
Mr Justice Picken delivered the assessment at Maidstone Crown Court as he sentenced Anthony Esan, 25, to life imprisonment with a minimum term of seven years and 162 days. The judge imposed a hospital order alongside the custodial sentence.
Esan admitted repeatedly stabbing Lieutenant Colonel Mark Teeton in Sally Port Gardens in Chatham on 23 July 2024. The victim survived the attack but sustained multiple stab wounds during the assault.
The court heard no reaction from Esan as Mr Justice Picken passed sentence on the 25-year-old. The judge’s statement that Esan is unlikely to ever be released indicates the severity of the offence and concerns about public safety.
The hospital order component of the sentence means Esan will receive psychiatric treatment whilst serving his custodial term. Such orders are typically imposed when defendants require mental health intervention alongside imprisonment.
Lieutenant Colonel Teeton was attacked in broad daylight in the Kent town last summer. The location of Sally Port Gardens in Chatham placed the violent assault in a residential area, raising concerns about public safety at the time.
The minimum term of seven years and 162 days represents the period Esan must serve before becoming eligible for parole consideration. However, the judge’s comments suggest the Parole Board would be unlikely to authorize his release even after serving the minimum term.
Life sentences with hospital orders remain subject to ongoing review, with authorities monitoring both the prisoner’s mental health progress and risk to public safety. Esan’s case will be subject to periodic assessments, though the judge’s remarks indicate these are unlikely to result in community release.
The conviction and sentencing bring the case to a conclusion following the July 2024 attack on the serving Army officer. Further details about the circumstances of the assault and Esan’s motivations have not been disclosed at this stage.
