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Teens detained for Max and Mason's mistaken murders | Teens detained for Max and Mason's mistaken murders |
(33 minutes later) | |
Kodishai Wescott, 17 (left) and Riley Tolliver, 18, are the two teenagers detained for life who can be identified | Kodishai Wescott, 17 (left) and Riley Tolliver, 18, are the two teenagers detained for life who can be identified |
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. | |
Mason, 15, and Max, 16, were stabbed to death with machetes yards from Mason's front door in Knowle West, Bristol, in January. | |
Riley Tolliver, 18, and 17-year-old Kodishai Wescott, who can be identified 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. | 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. |
Mason Rist (left) and Max Dixon (right) were killed in a case of mistaken identity | Mason Rist (left) and Max Dixon (right) were killed in a case of mistaken identity |
The Mistaken Identity Murders | The Mistaken Identity Murders |
A shocking story of two teenage boys from Bristol, Max and Mason, who went out for pizza and never came home. They were killed in a case of mistaken identity. | A shocking story of two teenage boys from Bristol, Max and Mason, who went out for pizza and never came home. They were killed in a case of mistaken identity. |
Max and Mason were killed after being wrongly thought to be responsible for bricks being thrown at a house in Hartcliffe earlier that 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. | 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. | 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. |
Ashes held up by sister | Ashes held up by sister |
Before the teenagers were sentenced, statements written by the mothers and sisters of Max and Mason were read to the court, finishing with Mason's sister who faced the killers herslf. | |
Chloe Rist appeared in court and held up a small plastic pouch which she then explained, through tears, were Mason's ashes. | |
She then pulled out another bag with a lock of his hair in, followed by a piece of paper containing Mason's handprints. | |
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". | 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. | 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. |
The teenage defendants, who had been staring ahead, looked directly at her. | |
Ms Justice May: "no sentence can lessen the sense of loss and grief to these families." | Ms Justice May: "no sentence can lessen the sense of loss and grief to these families." |
"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. | "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." | |
At times, as the boys' last moments were detailed in court, Mason's mum Nikki Knight blocked her ears with her fingers. | |
BBC reporter Fiona Lamdin, who was in court, said at one point the killers seemed to share a joke and fist bumped to greet each other. | |
As he was led out, she said Wescott waved at the victims' families. | |
'Didn't deserve to die' | 'Didn't deserve to die' |
Max's mum, Leanne Ekland, also read a statement out in court, telling the defendants it was "really not that easy" for her to carry on with life as Max "was one of my reasons for living". | |
"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." | |
A statement from Ms Knight, 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." | |
She added: "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." | |
CCTV of moment before 'horrific' stabbing released | CCTV of moment before 'horrific' stabbing released |
As she sentenced the four teenagers, Ms Justice May said it was "impossible" to know what prompted the boys to attack Mason and Max. | |
"Nothing can undo the events of that dreadful night," she said. | |
"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". | 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 had been heading 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. | Two of the weapons, which were shown to the jury in court, were 48cm (19in) and 51cm (20in) in length. |
Police said "chillingly, they even stopped off at McDonald's" | Police said "chillingly, they even stopped off at McDonald's" |
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. | 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 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. | 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 early the next morning, while their murderers went to McDonalds, the trial heard. | |
Mason's uncle reads a statement outside of Bristol Crown Court | Mason's uncle reads a statement outside of Bristol Crown Court |
After Thursday's sentencing, David Knight, the uncle of Mason Rist, said no sentence would "ever be enough". | |
He told reporters: "No family should ever have to go through what our two families have gone through." | He told reporters: "No family should ever have to go through what our two families have gone through." |
'Just a normal boy' | 'Just a normal boy' |
Mr Knight described Mason as "just a normal 15-year-old boy" who loved spending time with friends and playing 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. | "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. |
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. | "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: | |
Riley Tolliver: 23 years, 47 days | |
Kodishai Wescott: 23 years, 44 days | |
16-year-old boy: 18 years, 44 days | |
15-year-old boy: 15 years, 226 days | |
Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, external, X, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. | Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, external, X, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. |