CAMPAIGN: Martin Cosser made hoodies to spread awareness after his son's death
A grieving Surrey father is campaigning to change the law that states that juvenile defendants cannot be named.
Martin Cosser, whose son Charlie was fatally stabbed in July, is calling to amend Section 49 of the Children and Young Persons Act.
Charlie’s family believes that if a juvenile defendant (17 or under) commits murder — “a serious crime with horrific consequences” – they should be named publicly.
He wants the new regulation to be called Cosser’s Law. It would require all those guilty of murder to be publicly identified, even juveniles, unless exceptional circumstances apply.
Mr Cosser has met with Jeremy Hunt and the chief constable of Surrey, Tim DeMeyer, and Cosser’s Law is expected to be debated in parliament over the coming months.
His son, Charlie "Cheeks" Cosser, 17, was stabbed at a West Sussex house party on 23 July. He was rushed to hospital where he died with family by his side.
As Charlie lay dying, his father held him and promised he would “get justice for him.”
“There’s a problem with CPS. Everything, and I mean everything, favours the defendant,” Mr Cosser told us.
Since Charlie was named straightaway, Mr Cosser felt that his family didn’t get a choice and were forced into the public eye, with journalists “harassing” them despite going through a “deeply traumatic” time.
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