A man who drove four teenagers on a deadly revenge mission that resulted in the tragic murders of two best friends has been sentenced to life imprisonment. Mason Rist, aged 15, and Max Dixon, aged 16, were fatally stabbed by the teens in a case of mistaken identity outside Mason’s residence in Knowle West, Bristol, on January 27. The driver, Antony Snook, aged 45, from Hartcliffe, claimed ignorance of the group’s intent, but a jury dismissed his defense and found him guilty of the murders. Snook will serve a minimum of 38 years behind bars.
Riley Tolliver, 18, along with three minors aged 17, 16, and 15, were also convicted of murder and are scheduled for sentencing on December 16.
During sentencing at Bristol Crown Court, Mrs. Justice May emphasized that Snook, as the sole adult, had multiple chances to “stop this madness, to lock the car doors… or to refuse to leave Hartcliffe.” She stated, “You were the only adult present. Your decision to participate in this revenge plot was weak and cowardly.” The judge expressed disbelief at Snook’s agreement to drive the teens, noting, “You must have felt the tense and dangerous atmosphere in the car. Tragically, Mason and Max were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.” As the sentence was handed down, Max and Mason’s family members wept and embraced, while Snook showed no emotion.
Snook drove Tolliver and the three minors, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to and from Knowle West. Shortly after Mason and Max stepped out of Mason’s home around 11:00 PM GMT, they were mistakenly identified by the group as responsible for throwing bricks at a house in Hartcliffe earlier that night. CCTV footage captured Snook’s Audi Q2 arriving on Ilminster Avenue, where the four teens leaped out wielding machetes and a baseball bat. In a 33-second attack, the friends were ambushed while Snook waited in his parked vehicle with its lights off. The teens then re-entered Snook’s car, which performed a U-turn and sped away, leaving the victims gravely injured. Mason and Max died in the hospital within 15 minutes of each other during the early hours of the following day.
During the sentencing, heartfelt statements from the families of Mason and Max were read aloud in court. Prosecutor Ray Tully KC summarized a statement from Mason’s mother, Nikki Knight, who described the agony of her son’s attack outside their home. “She feels an enduring sense of guilt as a mother for not being able to protect him,” Tully stated. Max Dixon’s mother, Leanne Ekland, recounted rushing to her son’s side as he lay dying. “He looked at me and said he wanted to sleep; he was so pale,” she said. “The pain was unbearable. I knew my life had changed forever.”
Mason’s sister, Chloe Rist, shared the family’s heartbreak and regret for not preventing him from leaving the house that night. “Mason was vulnerable and harmless. I know he was terrified,” she said. Chloe explained that witnessing her brother’s final moments on CCTV left her unable to return to their family home or play games with her own children. Max’s sister, Kayleigh Dixon, confronted Snook in court, stating, “You killed me that day. I can’t sleep. You have traumatized me, and I hope justice ensures you suffer for the rest of your life.”
In her closing remarks, Mrs. Justice May highlighted the tragic loss of two young lives: “Mason, 15, and Max, 16, were best friends from loving families with bright futures. They went out together on a Saturday night, but never returned home.”
