MP praises 'formidable' knife crime campaigner

A father who has dedicated himself to tackling knife crime has been described by a veteran MP as the most "determined and formidable" campaigner he has ever met.

Martin Cosser's 17-year-old son, Charlie, was stabbed to death at a party in Warnham, West Sussex, in July 2023.

Mr Cosser, from Milford in Surrey, has set up a charity to educate young people about the dangers of carrying knives.

His local MP, former cabinet minister Jeremy Hunt, told BBC Radio Surrey it was impossible "not to be blown away emotionally" when listening to Mr Cosser speak.

On Monday, Mr Cosser spoke at an event at Charterhouse School near Godalming, where Charlie was an apprentice groundsman.

Hunt, the MP for Godalming and Ash, said: "I've been an MP for nearly 20 years, and I've never met a campaigner as determined and formidable as Martin.

"He is banging down doors in Whitehall so I think he will get results."

With Hunt's help, Mr Cosser has become part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's knife crime task force.

Speaking after the event on Monday, Mr Cosser said: "We'll never forget him but we want everyone to know who Charlie Cosser was.

"The other message, which is just as important for parents as it is for kids, is the consequences of one decision and what it can do, and the immeasurable impact of knife crime.

"One action just destroys family. My talks give people a window into our world."

He said his most important target was to get the discussion of knife crime onto the school syllabus.

"We need to get into primary schools. It needs to be Key Stage 2. Those are the meetings I've had with the minister [for policing and crime prevention Dame Diana Johnson] twice now.

"She has endorsed us and written to the board of education. I just hope it happens, because that's where it begins."

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