Teens detained for life over murder of two best friends stabbed to death in mistaken identity revenge attack
19 December 2024, 15:21 | Updated: 19 December 2024, 15:44
Two teenage boys have been detained at Bristol Crown Court for life with minimum terms of 15 and 18 years respectively for the murders of two boys in a case of mistaken identity.
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Mason Rist, 15, and Max Dixon, 16, died from stab wounds after being chased by the four armed teenagers in the Knowle West area of the city at about 11pm on January 27 this year.
Their attackers - Riley Tolliver, 18, and three boys aged 15, 16, and 17, who cannot be named due to their age - had been driven to Ilminster Avenue by Antony Snook, 45.
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.
Mrs Justice May detained the 15-year-old boy for life with a minimum term of 15 years and 229 days, and the 16-year-old boy for life with a minimum term of 18 years and 44 days.
She is due to sentence the 17-year-old boy and Riley Tolliver, 18, later on Thursday.
Mason Rist and Max Dixon murderers
"You were part of a group who attacked and killed two boys," the judge told the defendants.
"The boys you killed were Mason Rist and Max Dixon. They were your age. They had done nothing wrong. They didn't attack the house, they had nothing to do with it.
"You have heard how much pain you have caused to their families.
"Max and Mason's families must go on without them in a different way. Your lives will change too. As Mason's sister said, there are no winners here."
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On Thursday morning, victim personal statements written by the mothers and sisters of Max and Mason were read to the court.
Chloe Rist, the sister of Mason, described how he 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 how 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 packets containing Mason's ashes and hair, as well as a print taken of his hand after his death.
Ms Rist told 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.
"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.
"I hope your sorrys are genuinely but unfortunately I can't be sure.
"I hope you don't forget Mason because he didn't deserve any of this."
The defendants remained expressionless in the dock as Ms Rist showed them the items.
CCTV shows Mason Rist and Max Dixon being pursued
Previously, the court heard how Snook and the armed teenagers set out for revenge after masked youths wielding machetes threw bricks at a property in the Hartcliffe area, injuring a woman.
Max and Mason, who had been best friends since attending nursery together, were heading out for a pizza when they were spotted by those in Snook's car and wrongly identified as being connected to that attack.
Tolliver, who had a baseball bat, and the three teenagers armed with machetes, jumped out of the car and chased after the two boys.
Within 33 seconds, the attackers had returned to Snook's Audi Q2 motability car - leaving Max and Mason lying fatally injured on the street.
They were both pronounced dead in hospital in the early hours of January 28.
