Varybrus was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder. For Martin Cosser, the pain of losing his son was compounded by what followed in court. He has described what he witnessed there as more traumatic than the attack itself — including the sight of Varybrus’s mother blowing her son kisses from the public gallery.
“I don’t like thinking sympathetically about Yura’s mother,” Martin said, “but the reality is that his crime will have affected her. The series shows how a child’s actions don’t just ruin their own life — their whole family becomes a target.”
A vow made bedside, a charity born from it
As Charlie lay in hospital on life support, Martin made him a promise: to spend his life educating young people about the devastating consequences of knife crime. That vow became Charlie’s Promise, a charity Martin co-founded to raise awareness and support families affected by knife violence.
Since August of the previous year, Martin has delivered talks to almost 20,000 young people. The message he carries is direct: walk away, report anyone carrying a knife, and understand that the consequences are irreversible.
“I will never know if Charlie knew someone at that party had a knife. And I will never be able to ask him,” Martin said. “I hope he didn’t but our kids should know the dangers so that what happened to my boy doesn’t happen to them.”
What is Charlie’s Promise?
Charlie’s Promise is a charity co-founded by Martin Cosser following the murder of his son Charlie in 2023. Its aim is to educate young people about the dangers of carrying knives and to support families affected by knife violence. Since its launch, Martin has spoken to almost 20,000 young people across schools in the UK.
