Charlie Cosser murder: Family's heartbreak after trial verdict

The teenager who stabbed 17-year-old Charlie Cosser to death on a crowded dancefloor at a party was found guilty today.

Charlie , known as Cheeks, was stabbed three times in the chest at the outdoor event called BalFest, attended by around 100 people at a farmhouse in Warnham, near Horsham on July 23 last year.

Martin Cosser has been campaigning against knife crime since his son's death (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)

The teenage defendant, who was 16 at the time and is now 17, will face life imprisonment for the attack following a trial at Lewes Crown Court, sitting in Brighton.

He was found guilty of Charlie’s murder and guilty of having a bladed article in unanimous verdicts on Tuesday.

Members of Charlie’s family, who attended court every day, cried and hugged each other as the verdicts were given.

Charlie Cosser's mum Tara said after the verdict that nothing would bring her son back.

Fighting back tears, she said: "I'm still going home tonight and he's not there.
"This has been a long time coming but it's the right result."

• READ MORE: 'I saw him take his last breath': Father of teen stabbed to death tells of his agony

Charlie's grandfather, Steve Cosser, said: "He was such a lovely young man and we've been robbed of his future now.

"We were only just getting to know what kind of boy he would have been. It should never have happened. The police always said he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Since October last year we've been living with the fear something could go wrong. Hopefully, now the family can start to move on now."

Family wore 'Cheeks' shirts in tribute to 17-year-old Charlie Cosser who was murdered (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)

The trial heard that a fight broke out between the defendant, Charlie and two other boys on the dancefloor after the defendant and his friends were asked to leave the party.

A partygoer captured part of the violence on video as she began filming her friends dancing to the song Toxic by Britney Spears under disco lights in the marquee.

Opening the case on May 13, prosecutor Alan Gardner KC said: “In the darkness and noise of a crowded dancefloor his use of the knife and blows of the knife went unnoticed by those in the vicinity.

“The defendant stabbed Charlie Cosser with that knife as they came together on the dancefloor.”

Jurors heard from numerous witnesses who attended the party that night.

The teenager had suffered an injury to his left hand, which the prosecution alleged happened when he was using the knife to stab Charlie.

The knife has never been found.

The youth chose not to give evidence in the trial but denied murdering Charlie and having a bladed article.

He originally pleaded guilty to murder during his first appearance at Lewes Crown Court on July 28 last year, but before being sentenced he successfully applied to withdraw his guilty plea, prompting the trial to take place.

Charlie’s family previously paid tribute to their most caring, cheeky and loving son and brother who had a “ridiculously silly sense of humour”.

Since his death, they have set up a charity called Charlie’s Promise, dedicated to fighting knife crime across Surrey and the UK. Charlie is from Milford, Surrey.

The defendant will be sentenced on June 19.