A 24-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder over the stabbing of a British soldier earlier this week, Kent Police said on Thursday.
According to a statement from the police, officers were called to Sally Port Gardens in Gillingham, southeast of London, around 5:55 pm on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, after receiving a report that the victim, a man in his 40s, had suffered injuries consistent with stab wounds. The victim was taken to the hospital and is currently described as being in a serious but stable condition.
The suspect, Anthony Esan, was arrested near his home address in Rochester later that day and has now been charged with attempted murder and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. He is scheduled to appear in Medway Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, July 25.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his shock and dismay over the incident, posting on X (formerly Twitter) that he was “shocked and appalled by the news that a soldier has been attacked in Kent” and that “all our thoughts are with the soldier, his family, and our Armed Forces community, who serve to keep all of us safe.”
Kent Police have not yet indicated any motive for the attack, but they are not treating it as terror-related. The force said it was “exploring the possibility that it may be mental health-related.”
The incident comes amid ongoing concerns about knife-related crimes in the United Kingdom, as highlighted in a recent PUNCH Online report about the stabbing death of a 14-year-old British-Nigerian in London.
