The parents of a Surrey teenager who was fatally stabbed in West Sussex are urging young people to share information about knife crime before another family suffers the same devastating loss.

Charlie Cosser, from Surrey, was just 17 when he was fatally stabbed in West Sussex in 2023.

Now Charlie’s father, Martin Cosser, is sharing his son’s story as part of a campaign urging young people who know someone is carrying a knife to speak up.

“There may be young people who know someone is carrying a knife but feel frightened, uncertain or worried about what will happen if they speak up,” Martin said.

New YouGov research for independent charity Crimestoppers found just 22 per cent of people in the South East believe young people would report knife crime information directly to police.

That rises to 46 per cent when an anonymous reporting service is offered.

Nationally, just 31 per cent of 16 to 25-year-olds say they would be very likely to report someone carrying a knife if they believed it could lead to serious injury or death, compared with 45 per cent of adults overall.

But uncertainty is a barrier, with 23 per cent unsure whether what they know is important enough to report, while 16 per cent do not know how to report it.

For Martin, the consequences of remaining silent are painfully personal.

“Charlie’s death has left a hole in our family that can never be filled. No parent should have to experience the pain of losing their child to knife crime,” he said. “There may be young people who know someone is carrying a knife but feel frightened, uncertain or worried about what will happen if they speak up. I want them to understand that they do not have to give their name or put themselves at risk.

“Even a small piece of information could prevent another young person from being hurt and another family from suffering the heartbreak we live with every day.”

The campaign is being delivered by Fearless, Crimestoppers’ youth service, which gives young people a safe and anonymous way to share information about crime.

Through Fearless.org, young people aged 11 to 25 can access advice and report information without giving their name or contact details. Crimestoppers says it cannot trace calls or online reports, with information passed to law enforcement without revealing who provided it.

The research shows just how important anonymity can be. While 31 per cent of young people said they would be very likely to report knife crime information directly to police, this rose to 51 per cent when an anonymous option was available.

Yet only 35 per cent of 16 to 25-year-olds know they can report information anonymously through Crimestoppers, compared with 55 per cent of adults.

The campaign aims to close that gap and make sure young people know they can act on what they know without putting themselves at risk.

Young people can find out more or share information anonymously through Fearless.org.