Teenagers detained for murdering boys in mistaken identity case

Four teenagers have been detained for life for the murders of best friends Max Dixon and Mason Rist - who were killed in a case of mistaken identity in January.

Mason, 15, and Max, 16, were stabbed to death with machetes yards from Mason's front door in Knowle West, Bristol.

Riley Tolliver, 18, and 17-year-old Kodishai Wescott, who can be named for the first time after reporting restrictions were lifted, were told they would each be detained for a minimum of 23 years.

A 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were detained for life with minimum terms of 15 and 18 years respectively.

Max and Mason were killed after being wrongly identified as being responsible for bricks being thrown at a house in Hartcliffe earlier the same evening, on 27 January.

The four teenage defendants spotted the two best friends while being driven around Knowle West by a fifth defendant, Anthony Snook, 45, looking for "revenge", the court previously heard.

All five were convicted of two counts of murder last month following a six-week trial at Bristol Crown Court. Snook was later jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 38 years.

Before the teenagers were sentenced, statements written by the mothers and sisters of Max and Mason were read to the court, concluding with Mason's sister, Chloe Rist, holding up packets containing her brother's ashes and hair, as well as a print taken of his hand following his death.

Ms Rist described how Mason had been diagnosed with autism at the age of three, which meant the family were protective of him as he was "vulnerable and harmless".

She told of the devastating impact of his death on her family, including the "ripple effect" of her grandmother suffering a heart attack and her baby being born prematurely.

At the conclusion of her statement, she held up the packets of Mason's ashes and hair, as well as the hand print, and spoke directly to the defendants.

"This is Mason's ashes and this is what you've done. If anyone is upset about me bringing them to court today, that is all I have left of him," she said.

"I shouldn't have to look at my brother's bone fragments either.

"I also have a piece of his hair which has his blood on it, if you want to see it?

"This is my dead brother's handprint. Another thing you've done. I should be able to hold my brother's hand, not look at it on a piece of paper. This is all I have left of him."

Max's mum, Leanne Ekland, also read a statement out in court, telling the defendants: "As much as I know Max would want me to carry on with life, it's really not that easy as he was one of my reasons for living my life.

"My son didn't deserve to die, Mason didn't deserve to die, and our family don't deserve to have to go through this but due to your actions that night, two families have been destroyed and there is no justification for that."

A statement from Mason's Mum, Nikki Knight, which was read out during the hearing, said: "Mason was my youngest son. Mason was also my friend.

"I trusted him and always knew he wouldn't tell other people the things I told him. I'm always looking at the door, checking the locks and trying to do all I can to feel safe again. I do these things while still expecting Mason to walk through the door, and come home to me.

"Mason used to say he was the man of the house, he wanted to protect me, but I now feel I failed to protect him. I always imagined we would live together forever."

As she sentenced the four teenagers, Ms Justice May said: "It is impossible to know what prompted the boys to attack Mason and Max.

"Nothing can undo the events of that dreadful night. No sentence can lessen the sense of loss and grief caused to their families."

During the trial, the jury was told there had been a long-standing rivalry between Knowle West and Hartcliffe, and there had previously been incidents involving people from "both postcodes".

Max and Mason were heading out to buy a pizza when they were attacked "with some of the most horrific weapons" police had seen, the court was previously told.

Two of the weapons, which were shown to the jury in court, were 48cm (19in) and 51cm (20in) in length.

CCTV cameras captured Snook's Audi Q2 pulling into Ilminster Avenue, where the four teenagers then jumped out, wielding large machetes and a baseball bat.

The attacks lasted just 33 seconds, while Snook sat waiting in his parked car with the lights off.

The teenage defendants then got back into Snook's car, which performed a U-turn in the street and sped away, leaving the injured boys collapsed in the street.

They died in hospital within 15 minutes of each other in the early hours of the next morning, while their murderers went to a McDonalds to eat, the trial heard.

Speaking outside Bristol Crown Court following the hearing, David Knight, the uncle of Mason Rist, said no sentence passed would "ever be enough" following his murder.

He told reporters: "No family should ever have to go through what our two families have gone through."

Mr Knight described Mason as "just a normal 15-year-old boy" who loved to spend time with friends and play computer games.

"It is so hard to accept that Mason and Max were taken from us just for walking to the shops to get some food," he added.

Speaking following the hearing outside court, Det Supt Gary Haskins, of Avon and Somerset Police, described the four teenage defendants as "vicious" in their attack on Max and Mason.

"This is a desperate case with no winners," he said.

All four teenage defendants were given two life sentences, one for each victim, and given minimum terms to serve before they can apply for parole, as follows:

• Riley Tolliver: 23 years, 47 days minimum term

• Kodishai Wescott: 23 years, 44 days minimum term

• 16-year-old boy: 18 years, 44 days minimum term

• 15-year-old boy: 15 years, 226 days minimum term