Teenager who murdered 17-year-old Charlie Cosser at a party jailed for life

A teenager who murdered a 17-year-old boy on a crowded dancefloor at a summer party has been jailed for life.

Yura Varybrus, 17, will serve a minimum of 16 years in prison after being sentenced at Brighton Crown Court.

Charlie Cosser, from Milford, Surrey, was stabbed three times in the chest at a farmhouse marquee in Warnham, West Sussex, while attending a private party with more than 100 people on 23 July 2023.

Judge Christine Henson KC earlier lifted restrictions on naming Varybrus, who was 16 at the time of the attack.

Varybrus was found guilty of murder and having a bladed article following a trial.

He stabbed Cosser, who was not known to him, when a fight broke out between them and two other boys on the dancefloor.

While the knife has never been found, witnesses at the party told jurors during the trial that they saw Varybrus "drenched" in blood and heard him say "I've stabbed someone" after the attack.

Charlie's mother Tara Cosser said the impact of losing her "calm and chilled" son would "last forever".

She said she sends her son a "Whatsapp message every morning" as she feels "numbness and sadness".

Mrs Cosser also told the court the 17-year-old had begun an apprenticeship as a groundsman 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, Greece, for which he had been saving up, after the party.

Sentencing Varybrus on Wednesday, Judge Christine Henson KC said: "Instead of what should have been an end of academic year celebration, Charlie was stabbed... on a crowded marquee dancefloor.

"The impact of the loss of Charlie to his family and friends is immeasurable."

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The trial heard how Cosser was seen lying in the grass and was initially believed to be intoxicated before blood was seen on his T-shirt and his friend realised he had been stabbed.

When police arrived at 12.30am, Cosser was still conscious and was able to tell them his name, address and date of birth.

He suffered a cardiac arrest on the way to hospital, with internal bleeding caused by a cut to his aorta, the main artery from the heart.

The teenager, also known as Cheeks, died two days later, on 25 July.

Describing her son as someone who "got along with everybody", Mrs Cosser said: "We have the life sentence, and Charlie has no life.

"No sentence will be long enough for my child's murderer. It doesn't bring Charlie back."