Teenager who murdered boy, 17, on crowded dancefloor at party jailed for life

Charlie Cosser died in hospital two days after the stabbing, suffering a cardiac arrest

Charlie Cosser died after being stabbed at a party in Warnham, West Sussex, in July 2023 (Sussex Police/PA) (PA Media)

A teenage knifeman who stabbed a 17-year-old boy three times in the chest on a crowded dancefloor after a confrontation over a 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, at a farmhouse in Warnham, West Sussex, on 23 July last year.

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

After denying his murder, he was convicted by a jury at Brighton Crown Court and has now been locked behind bars for a minimum term of 16 years.

Jurors heard that Varybrus had drunk an “excessive amount” of vodka and was angry, after unsuccessful attempts were made to make him leave the event due to his apparent behaviour towards a young woman.

Yura Varybrus has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 16 years (Family handout/Sussex Police/PA Wire)

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.

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.”

Varybrus was later spotted next to the road with his hands and trousers “covered in blood” with his joggers “drenched”. Another witness told jurors that they had overheard the teenager say: “I’ve stabbed someone”.

When police arrived at 12.30am, Charlie was still conscious and was able to tell them his name, address and date of birth. He suffered a cardiac arrest in the amulance on the way to the hospital, with internal bleeding caused by a cut to his aorta, the main artery from the heart.

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

The defendant was found guilty of murder at Brighton Crown Court (Alamy/PA) (PA)

Charlie’s mother, Tara Cosser, told the court about how the teenager 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 he had been saving up for after the party.

Following Varybrus being arrested, his trainers were tested and blodostains were found which matched his own blood.

The court was also told that Varybrus accepted that he burned the clothes he was wearing at the party in a firepit 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 alleged happened when he was using the knife to stab Charlie, while the knife has never been found.

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.

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.”

The judge added that while she accepted it was a “spontaneous” incident and it was not certain that Varybrus brought the knife to the party, it was however “a significant factor you knew the knife was available to you during the evening and you were in possession of it on the dancefloor”.

“You armed yourself with a knife on the dancefloor.”

Allowing him to be named, she said: “This is a case that is a particularly grave crime and has attracted substantial national and local interest.

“The level of youth crime in this case is likely to be of 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 fighting knife crime across Surrey and the UK.