Mother of Murdered Teenager Describes Daily Grief; Sentencing Date Confirmed

The mother of a teenager fatally stabbed in an unprovoked assault in Bristol stated that she “loses her son every day”. Sixteen-year-old Max Dixon was stabbed on January 27, alongside his close friend Mason Rist, 15, outside Mason’s residence in Knowle West, Bristol, due to a case of mistaken identity. Leanne Ekland, Max’s mother, commented: “I didn’t just lose him that night. I lose him every single day”. The four adolescents convicted of the boys’ murders are scheduled for sentencing on December 16. Ms Ekland shared, “I think about him first thing in the morning, I think about him constantly throughout the day, and then when I go to bed.” She added, “The only time I can switch off is when I actually fall asleep and then I wake up and reality hits again and I lose him all over again.” Ms Ekland characterized her son as a “real mummy’s boy” who was never ashamed to be seen with her and would walk arm-in-arm with her at school. Following a trial at Bristol Crown Court, Anthony Snook, 45, of Hartcliffe, who operated the getaway vehicle, received a sentence of a minimum of 38 years in prison. Riley Tolliver, 18, along with three boys aged 17, 16, and 15, were also found guilty of murder and are set to be sentenced on December 16. Kayleigh Dixon, Max’s sister, stated that life felt “really quiet” in her brother’s absence. She remarked, “He had such a great character and he was really loving,” adding, “It’s really quiet without him now.” Ms Ekland expressed, “I want to let everyone to know that Max was a great character, full of joy.” She continued, “There was never a dull moment when Max was around. You always heard Max before you saw him.” In an interview with BBC Breakfast, Ms Ekland urged individuals to “think twice” before engaging in knife crime, noting that both her family and Mason’s family had been “destroyed” by the assault. Snook transported the four teenagers to and from Knowle West as part of a retaliatory mission following an attack by masked youths on a residence in the rival Hartcliffe area. Max and Mason succumbed to stab wounds after being pursued by the armed assailants. The two boys had been mistakenly identified as the individuals responsible for throwing bricks at the house earlier that evening. Following Max’s death, his family established the Max Dixon Foundation to collect funds for the distribution of portable bleed kits. These kits were developed in collaboration with Park Knowle FC, the football club where Max previously played. Ms Ekland stated her objective was to ensure the bleed kits are readily available. She remarked, “If there’s so many available, if there’s two or three victims, you don’t just have to choose just one victim.” For updates, follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding their external linking policy is available.