The family of a teenager fatally stabbed at an end-of-term party in the grounds of a £1.5million farmhouse sobbed as graphic mobile phone footage was shown in court.
Charlie Cosser was only 17 when he was stabbed in a fight on the dance floor at the farmhouse in rural Sussex.
Video dated as taken at 11.59pm on July 22 last year shows the moment he was stabbed three times in the chest, a jury heard.
His family comforted each other as they tried to stay calm during the opening of a murder trial at the Crown Court in Brighton.
Alan Gardner KC for the Crown said the mobile phone video caught the moment Charlie, known as Cheeks, was fatally wounded.
Charlie Cosser was only 17 when he was stabbed in a fight on the dance floor at a farmhouse in rural Sussex
The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, tried not to look as the footage was played to the jury several times.
As the slowed down images were played the jury saw an eruption of violence, Mr Gardner said.
Frame by frame forensic analysis of the mobile phone video has been carried out by police, Mr Gardner said.
‘The knife came into contact with Charlie more than once, three times we say, but it was the stab wound to the central area of his chest which proved to be the fatal injury,’ Mr Gardner said.
The defendant or one of his friends brought the knife to the party, Mr Gardner said.
The court heard one party goer said the defendant called out ‘Get the shank,’ moments before Charlie Cosser was fatally wounded.
Mr Gardner told the court another witness later heard the defendant say; ‘I’ve stabbed someone,’ six or seven times.
The defendant sat in the dock in front of the Cosser family.
The incident happened at party in the grounds of a £1.5million farmhouse
Wearing a blue shirt and glasses, the 17-year-old from Chesington spoke only to confirm his name.
He was only 16-years-old when he attended the end-of-term party at the £1.5 Balmohano Farmhouse at Warnham in rural Sussex.
The defendant’s mother was allowed to sit in a box on her own near the dock where she can see her son and he can see her.
She shook her head as the jury were told her son or one of his friends had taken the knife to the party.
The jury in Brighton heard there were at least 100 people at the party hosted by the Balfour triplets to celebrate the end of term.
The party goers crowded under a marquee in the grounds of the farmhouse near Horsham as summer rain lashed down.
Trouble started when a girl at the party complained about the defendant and said he had tried to touch her up, Mr Gardner said.
The girl said the defendant was ‘creeping her out’, he said.
Two fights started after Charlie Cosser and his friend approached the defendant and asked him to leave.
‘Two separate fights erupted on the dance floor,’ Mr Gardner said.
‘It is on that brief altercation on the dance floor the prosecution say the defendant used the knife he was carrying to stab Charlie Cosser in the chest.
‘In the darkness and noise of a crowded dance floor his use of the knife and the knife blows went unnoticed,’ Mr Gardner said.
The family heard how Charlie was able to leave the tent before collapsing on the grass.
Charlie’s father clutched his head and wiped tears from his eyes as the jury heard details of his last moments of consciousness.
‘At around midnight another party guest was stood on the DJ’s stage when he noticed a boy he knew to be Charlie Cosser lying on the grass.
‘It looked like he was in discomfort.
‘He was holding his arms across his body as if he had stomach ache, and was wriggling around,’ Mr Gardner said.
The court heard the defendant had blood on his hands and clothes.
The teenage defendant gave no comment interview and the court heard the knife used to stab Charlie Cosser has never been found.
Charlie, known as Cheeks, Cosser was described as caring and loving by his devastated parents.
The 17-year-old, from Milford in Surrey, died in hospital on Tuesday, July 25, last year.
In a statement from his family, dad Martin, mum Tara, older brother Adam and younger sister Eloise paid tribute to him.
‘Our lives have been destroyed by the tragic and unnecessary loss of our son.
‘Despite courageously battling right till the very end of his young and innocent life, his injuries were too severe and he tragically passed away on the evening of Tuesday, July 25.
‘He was the most caring, cheeky, loving son and brother we could have ever wished for, and we cannot imagine a life without him.
‘Charlie’s wider family are deeply shocked and saddened by the sudden loss.
‘Tributes have been pouring in from Charlie’s wide circle of friends which we would like to acknowledge have brought us huge comfort in our darkest hours.
‘We would also like to thank on our and Charlie’s behalf, all of the efforts of the emergency services who treated him on the scene, as well as the whole of the critical care team at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, who did absolutely everything they could to save our precious boy, with the upmost compassion, empathy, sympathy and care.
‘His ridiculously silly sense of humour will be deeply missed by everyone that knew and loved him.’
The teenage defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies murder.
The trial at Lewes Crown Court in Brighton continues.