Antony Snook, 45, has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in a tragic revenge killing that resulted in the murders of two teenage boys, Mason Rist, 15, and Max Dixon, 16, in Bristol.
The incident occurred on January 27th when Snook drove four teenagers to Knowle West on what was described as a revenge mission. The teenagers, including Riley Tolliver, 18, and three younger boys who cannot be named for legal reasons, were seeking retribution for allegedly thrown bricks at a house in the Hartcliffe area.
CCTV footage captured Snook’s Audi Q2 arriving on Ilminster Avenue, where the four defendants exited the vehicle wielding large machetes. In a brutal 33-second attack, they ambushed Mason and Max, who were wrongly identified as responsible for the earlier brick-throwing incident. Snook remained in the parked car with its lights off during the assault.
After the attack, the teenagers returned to Snook’s car, which quickly performed a U-turn and sped away, leaving the two boys critically injured. Mason and Max died in the hospital within 15 minutes of each other in the early morning hours.
During the sentencing at Bristol Crown Court, Mrs Justice May condemned Snook’s actions, stating he had multiple opportunities to “stop this madness” and criticizing him as “weak and cowardly.” She sentenced him to a minimum of 38 years in prison.
The victims’ families provided heart-wrenching victim impact statements. Mason’s mother, Nikki Knight, expressed feelings of failure in protecting her son. Max’s mother, Leanne Ekland, described the unbearable pain of cradling her dying son on the pavement, recalling his pale appearance and desire to sleep.
Mason’s sister, Chloe Rist, shared her trauma, explaining how the family had been overprotective of Mason because he was “vulnerable and harmless.” She described being unable to play with her children after seeing CCTV footage of her brother “running for his life.”
Max’s sister, Kayleigh Dixon, directly addressed Snook in court, stating that he had “killed” her that day and expressing her belief that she would never fully recover from the trauma.
Riley Tolliver and the three younger defendants were also found guilty of murder and are scheduled to be sentenced on December 16th.
The case highlights the devastating consequences of a misguided revenge plot and the profound grief experienced by the families of the victims. Snook’s conviction underscores the serious legal consequences of participating in such a violent and senseless act, even if not directly carrying out the stabbing.
