Boy, 15, admits murdering one of two teens killed in Bristol, jury told

• ITV West Country's Max Walsh sent this report from Bristol Crown Court

A 15-year-old boy has admitted murdering one of two teenagers who were attacked in a case of mistaken identity.

The defendant, who cannot be named because of his age, accepts that he murdered 15-year-old Mason Rist by inflicting at least one of two fatal injuries during the attack in the Knowle West area of Bristol on 27 January.

Another boy, who is now 17 years old and also cannot be named, has admitted the manslaughter of Mason’s friend Max Dixon, who was 16.

The prosecution maintain the teenagers are responsible for both deaths. They, along with three others - Antony Snook, 45, Riley Tolliver, 18, and a 16-year-old boy - are on trial at Bristol Crown Court charged with the murders of Max and Mason.

The jury has been told Max and Mason were set upon by a group in an Audi Q2 car, having being mistakenly identified as those responsible for bricks being thrown at a house earlier that evening.

The jury was shown CCTV footage of the attack on the property and Ray Tully KC, prosecuting, told the jury how the property in Hartcliffe was targeted at about 10pm.

Three people were seen outside with machetes, bricks were thrown through a window and a woman was left injured.

• CCTV shown to the jury showed three people throwing bricks through a window

An hour later, Snook, Tolliver and the three teenage boys left the area in Snook’s car. Mr Tully said they were armed with “fearsome weapons”.

Referring to Snook, Mr Tully told the jury: “He was transporting a car full of young people armed to the teeth with weapons and hell-bent on revenge for what had happened earlier that evening.”

The defendants came across Mason and Max, who had just left Mason’s home.

In CCTV images captured by a camera on Mason’s house, people can be seen leaving the vehicle and attacking Mason and Max before getting back into the car which then drives away.

Both boys died in hospital later that night.

The two guilty pleas in the case can now be reported as they have been revealed to the jury at Bristol Crown Court.

Ray Tully KC, prosecuting, told the court: “In the lead up to this trial, the 15-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to the murder of Mason.

“By that plea, we understand that he accepts that he inflicted a fatal injury to Mason. He has kept his not guilty plea to the murder of Max Dixon.

“We maintain that he is guilty of both murders due to the joint nature of what was going on.

“The 17-year-old boy has pleaded not guilty to both murder counts. He has, however, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter in respect of count two, relating to Max Dixon.

“In doing so, we understand that he accepts that he is responsible for unlawfully killing Max. He accepts that he stabbed Max using the weapon he had with him.

“He accepts that when he stabbed Max, he caused the fatal injury to him. He denies that when he struck that blow, he intended to kill Max.

“He also denies that he intended to cause Max really serious harm when he struck him. He denies having any responsibility for the death of Mason.

“The prosecution suggest that the 17-year-old boy is responsible for the murder of both boys.”

After the killings, the defendants left the scene in the Audi and later split up – with some items linked to the incident hidden or burned, Mr Tully said.

Police officers who had been attending an incident nearby were diverted to Ilminster Avenue in Knowle West after the attacks on Mason and Max.

Mr Tully said: “One of the first was a police constable called Luke Douglas. He found Mason lying in the road covered in blood. He described the scene around him as chaos.

“PC Ben Tucker also went to Ilminster Avenue. He was pointed towards a male lying on the floor, that person was Max. Max was struggling to breathe and there was a pool of blood around his body.”

Mr Tully said medical assistance was provided to both boys at the scene and they were taken by ambulance to hospital.

Mason arrived at the resuscitation room in Bristol Children’s Hospital at 12.12am and was declared dead there at 12.49am.

Max was taken to Southmead Hospital, arriving at 12.33am, but was declared dead at 1.02am.

Home Office pathologist Dr Russell Delaney has since concluded that both boys died from stab wounds.

Mr Tully, describing Dr Delaney’s evidence about Mason's injuries, said: “He was to say that both wounds would have resulted in instant severe blood loss and that the injuries were unsurvivable.

“Both wounds passed through bony parts of the ribs indicating at least modest force was required – though he could not rule out more severe force being used.

“He concluded that the cause of death was stab wounds to chest and abdomen.”

The court heard Max suffered a stab wound to his abdomen and bruising to his right shoulder.

Speaking to Dr Delaney's evidence in relation to Max, Mr Tulley said: "The stab wound would have resulted in instant severe blood loss, leading rapidly and progressively to unconsciousness and cardiac arrest.

“The nature of the injury reflect a knife with either two cutting edges or a slender non-cutting edge.

“Dr Delaney concluded the amount of force required would have been mild to moderate but more severe force cannot be excluded.”

Snook, Tolliver, the 16-year-old boy and the 17-year-old boy are charged with murdering Mason together with the 15-year-old boy on January 27 this year.

Snook, Tolliver and the three teenage boys are charged with murdering Max on the same date.

The trial continues.