Teenager who murdered Charlie Cosser, 17, on crowded dance floor at party jailed

A teenager who stabbed a 17-year-old boy in the chest three times on a crowded dance floor after a confrontation over a young girl has been jailed for life.

Charlie Cosser was found lying on the ground with blood covering his chest at an outdoor event called BalFest, on a farm in Warnham, West Sussex, on July 23 last year.

He was killed after a fight broke out between his killer, who may now be called Yura Varybrus, and Charlie and two other boys, after the killer was asked to leave the party.

After denying his murder, he was found guilty by a jury at Brighton Crown Court and is now locked behind bars for a minimum sentence of 16 years.

Jurors heard Varybrus drank an “excessive amount” of vodka and was angry after unsuccessfully trying to get him to leave the event over his apparent behavior towards a young woman.

A partygoer filmed some of the violence as she began filming her friends dancing to Britney Spears' song Toxic under the marquee's disco lights.

Prosecutor Alan Gardner KC said: “In the darkness and noise of a crowded dance floor, his use of the knife and his stabbing went unnoticed by those nearby.

“The defendant stabbed Charlie Cosser with this knife as they gathered on the dance floor.”

Varybrus was then seen on the side of the road, his hands and pants “covered in blood”, and his jogging pants “soaked”. Another witness told jurors he heard the teen say, “I stabbed someone.”

When police arrived at half past midnight, Charlie was still conscious and was able to give them his name, address and date of birth. He suffered a cardiac arrest in the amulance on his way to hospital, with internal bleeding caused by a cut to the aorta, the main artery to the heart.

Described by his family as the most caring and cheeky son and brother, he died two days later on July 25.

Charlie's mother, Tara Cosser, told the court the teenager had started an apprenticeship as a gardener at a private school and was “loving his new adventure”.

He was also “so excited” to go on his first holiday with friends to Zante which he had saved up for after the party.

After Varybrus' arrest, his trainers were tested and bloodstains matching his own blood were found.

The court also heard that Varybrus admitted burning the clothes he wore at the party in a fire pit in the garden because he said they were covered in his own blood.

He had also suffered an injury to his left hand, which the prosecution claimed occurred while he was using the knife to stab Charlie, although the knife was never found.

He initially pleaded guilty to murder at his first appearance at Lewes Crown Court on July 28 last year, but before being sentenced he successfully applied to have his guilty plea withdrawn, resulting in allowed the trial to take place.

Sentencing Varybrus on Wednesday, Judge Christine Henson KC said: “Instead of what should have been an end-of-university celebration, Charlie was stabbed…on a crowded dance floor.

“The impact of losing Charlie on his family and friends is immeasurable.”

The judge added that while she accepted that it was a “spontaneous” incident and that it was not certain whether Varybrus brought the knife to the party, it was nevertheless “an important factor: you knew that the knife was at your disposal during the evening and that you were in possession of it on the dance floor.”

“You armed yourself with a knife on the dance floor.”

Allowing her name to be named, she said: “This is a case which constitutes a particularly serious crime and which has attracted significant national and local interest.

“The level of juvenile delinquency in this case is likely to generate significant public interest at a private party attended by many young people.”

Since his death, Charlie's family have set up a charity called Charlie's Promise, dedicated to tackling knife crime in Surrey and across the UK.