Five men convicted of murdering 16-year-old Max and 15-year-old Mason

Mason’s family said in a statement:

“Our family is like a puzzle, and with the loss of Mason, it’s like a piece of our puzzle is gone forever and can never be completed. Mason was a quiet kid who would never hurt a fly. He was so sweet and innocent.”

“It’s impossible to put into words how we feel. This whole process has been incredibly difficult and it was horrible to think about Mason’s final moments as we listened to what we heard and what happened to him.”

“These dangerous people took our son, our brother, our nephew, our uncle and our grandchild from us, and now we have to live the rest of our lives without our puzzle piece.

“We would like to thank from the bottom of our hearts everyone who worked so hard on this case. We appreciate that the investigation team was so hard-working and dedicated, working long hours and under pressure was not easy, but thanks to you we have reached this conclusion.

“The family would not have survived this unbearable period if we had not been assigned the best family liaison officers. “They went above and beyond to ensure we were always kept updated, guided and supported throughout this awful process.”

Max’s family said in a statement:

“Max was a great character with a happy and cheerful outlook on life. He was funny, kind and caring. He was a big part of the family and very popular with his friends. She was full of life and had a very cheeky side, but was always respectful.

“The past six weeks have been emotionally draining. Today’s result does not change the fact that two families returned home without their children. But now hopefully we can start to process and remember them both and understand the happy memories both families have of Max and Mason.

“Max and Mason have known each other since kindergarten and have always been in the same classes. We often joked that it was a funny friendship because they were both so different, but they bounced off each other and brought out the best in each other.

“We will miss everything about him. We would be broken without him but he would want us to carry on and wouldn’t want anyone to be demoralised.

“We need to thank everyone who joined our cause. We have so much respect for the hard work, dedication and support given to our families. There are not enough words to describe how grateful we are to everyone. We will be forever grateful to them.”

Antony Snook, 45, of Dowling Road, Hartcliffe, was found guilty of two counts of murder by a majority verdict and will be sentenced on Tuesday, November 19.

Riley Tolliver, 18, of Holts Way in Weston-super-Mare, and three teenagers who cannot be named because they are aged 15, 16 and 17, will be sentenced on Monday, December 16. The 16-year-old was found guilty by a majority verdict, while the 15-year-old had already pleaded guilty to one of the murders.

All were arrested before sentencing.

Jurors were told how the five gathered at Hartcliffe in South Bristol after someone threw bricks at the windows of a property around 10pm.

At 11pm Snook took all four lads from Hartcliffe to Knowle. Prosecuting Attorney General Ray Tully KC told the court how the four teenagers were equipped with ‘horrific weapons’.

In his closing speech Mr Tully described the group as a “pack” who were “preying on two boys” and “each played their part”.

He told the jury: “Snook took four young men ‘armed to the teeth’ to Ilminster Avenue. “They were looking for people they thought were responsible for the previous attack.”

Max called Mason’s family home in Ilminster Street at around 11.15pm and the pair began walking down the road.

Mr Tully added: “As (the defendants) walked down the street and passed Max and Mason, they thought they saw those responsible for the earlier attack.

“But they were completely wrong. Max and Mason had absolutely nothing to do with the earlier events.”

In footage Mr Tully described as “extremely difficult to watch”, the court heard CCTV captured the moment Snook turned his car, an Audi Q2, before four teenagers jumped out and chased Max and Mason, stabbing them multiple times.

CCTV tracked the Audi Q2 driven by Snook as it returned to Hartcliffe before the four teenagers got out of the car at two locations.

Despite the best efforts of officers and paramedics who arrived at the scene within a minute of receiving the first 999 call, Max and Mason died in hospital from their injuries.

The investigation, which lasted 11 months, involved officers from the Neighborhood Policing Team (CID, Response) and the Major Crime Investigation Team, with support from specialist teams such as firearms, dogs and drone units.

Senior Investigating Officer Det Supt Gary Haskins said: “First of all, I am proud of the strength, courage and honor the families have shown throughout this case. Family members were in court every day and heard things no one should hear.

“These five people were out for revenge that night and nothing can justify what they did against two such beautiful and innocent children. The injuries sustained by those children were excruciating and I want to congratulate the officers, paramedics and members of the public for their efforts to provide first aid to Max and Mason that night.

“I also want to recognize the incredible work of my officers and staff at MCIT and those from other departments within the organization who helped prosecute this case. With more than 200 police officers and staff involved in this investigation, as well as additional colleagues from other agencies, collecting 1,593 pieces of evidence for the court, taking 468 statements and conducting 45 interviews, this investigation was a massive investigation that brought together the resources of three different forces. .”

Following the incident, communities across Bristol have come together to mourn the loss of two boys who were completely innocent in the events that took place on Saturday 27 January.

A memorial service for the men was held in shops near Ilminster Avenue the day after the incident, and two-minute applauses were held at football and rugby matches in the following days.

CPS South West Chief Constable Vicky Cook said: “The deaths of Max and Mason sent shockwaves through their community and the city of Bristol.

“The Crown Prosecution Service worked closely with our colleagues in the Avon and Somerset Major Crime Investigation Team to build our case. This meant that all five defendants were jointly responsible for the murder of both Max and Mason.

“Regardless of which individuals caused the fatal injuries, the evidence shows that five individuals worked together and shared collective responsibility for this horrific crime.

“Four young people armed themselves and went out looking for people to attack. When they encountered Max and Mason, they launched a brutal, joint attack that left both boys fatally injured.

“Anthony Snook took the teenagers around looking for people to attack. He knew they were heavily armed and seeking revenge. He could have no doubt about what they wanted to do.

“Snook waited for the youths as they carried out their cowardly attack, then acted as a getaway driver, helping them flee the scene.

“Today’s decisions are a reminder that carrying knives and other cutting weapons can only lead to tragedy. “The loss felt by Max and Mason’s families is absolutely unimaginable and our thoughts are with them.”

There will be another hearing in the new year for people accused of aiding an offender.