Surrey dad who lost son to knife crime calls on the government to do more to tackle this 'epidemic'
Martin Cosser lost his son Charlie, aged just 17, last year in an unprovoked knife attack
A Surrey dad who lost his son to knife crime says the government needs to do more to stamp out this 'epidemic'.
Martin Cosser lost his son Charlie, aged just 17, last year in an unprovoked knife attack.
He's speaking to us as a potential ban on zombie knives and machetes is being considered by Parliament, which he says is 'not good enough'.
The Government is expected fast-track a law banning the weapons after tireless campaigns from families who have lost loved ones to knife crime, as well as a recent push from Idris Elba.
Martin Cosser has this message for the government:
"You need to stop and think, you need to talk to more people like me who have been affected by knife crime.
"It's not just inner cities, its not just gang related, its not just working-class areas.
"This was not my son's world, Charlie was gentle, Charlie was kind and he never would have gone to a party in a small village if he knew there was a knife there.
"There are a lot more people carrying knives that you'll ever know and its getting worse and worse and worse - we need to make a stand.
"The government needs to do more about knife crime - it's getting worse, its up 19% year on year and I don't think we're acting fast enough.
"It's becoming a pandemic, or at least an epidemic at the moment, and we just need to do so much more.
"We need to change the laws when it comes to carrying a weapon and we need tighter, stronger sentences for people that kill through knife crime.
"Things have got to change because it destroys families, it ruins families, just as it did with mine."
Martin Cosser is now campaigning for further education on knife crime, for both students and teachers, as part of his new charity.
'Charlie's Promise', which is being launched formally in March, aims to support families who have fallen victim to knife crime.
It will also involve Martin going in to schools in the home counties to talk to and educate children about the dangers and impacts of knife crime.
Teachers will also be taught how to support pupils in their care who are affected by the crime, how to best support them.
Martin Cosser tells us more about the Charlie's Promise:
"One of my final promises to Charlie, as well as getting him justice, was that I would educate young people about the dangers and impacts which are just immeasurable on knife crime.
"My younger daughter Eloise who had to witness so many things a 15-year-old should never have had to witness and then had challenges at school.
"I'm not blaming the school directly but they weren't equipped or educated enough to know how to deal with my daughter who was clearly going through not just dealing with being a teenager but the worst time of her life.
"The charity's about helping other families like ours both emotionally and financially that are going through very difficult times.
"It's also to educate teachers and pastoral care for children who've lost a sibling or a parent - in fact any child that is just going through trauma."
A GoFundMe page has been launched by Martin, will all proceeds going o the charity when it is formally registered.
You can access the page here.
You can also follow Martin and his journey with 'Charlie's Promise' on Instagram and TikTok.