The grieving mother of a boy who was murdered in a mistaken identity revenge attack said her family has been ‘tormented’ by his killer bragging about his crimes in social media posts from prison.
In an emotional interview, Leanne Ekland said she never should have had to pick out a coffin for her son Max Dixon, 16, while his murderer ‘showed no remorse’ behind bars.
Kodi Wescott, 17, was jailed for life in December for the horrific murder of Max and his friend Mason Rist, 15, who were stabbed to death as they went out for pizza.
But in January, despite having limited access to the internet behind bars, Wescott set up social media accounts to boast about the killings.
He made vile references to his victims being in a coffin and also to 33 seconds – the duration of the frenzied attack on Max and Mason in Bristol early last year.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain today, Leanne demanded answers over how Wescott was able to upload the posts and what his punishment will be.
She said: ‘It is an insult to my son. They were two lovely boys. They were not wrapped up in any gang wars, any postcode wars.
‘They were two boys who went out for a pizza and never came home. He [Wescott] has not shown any remorse. He is gloating about what he has done.
‘I don’t understand how he has any access to the internet. He lost that right when he murdered my son.
‘I’m not living. I’m existing and to see him gloating on social media. We have been tormented.
Leanne added: ‘We do not know how to cope with our grief. I should never had had to chose my son’s coffin, I should never have had to arrange his funeral.
‘And I have to live with that for the rest of my life.’
Wescott, who was found guilty along with four others, was given a minimum tariff of more than 23 years, meaning he will not be eligible to apply for parole until at least the year 2048.
The account’s first post on January 11 featured an image of Wescott in the corridor of his secure unit with a large padlock emoji covering his face.
Since then, three images have been posted of Wescott and two friends, taken in the Bristol suburb of Hartcliffe before the murders.
And late last month, the convicted killer posted a new video with the words ‘stuck up in jail lockdown settings’.
The clip appeared to be recorded at the secure home and featured a rap song, presumably written by Wescott, about the murders of Max and Mason, with on-screen text referencing his gang.
It read: ‘Yeah I’m 13s boppin’, where’s *** he up in his coffin’.
Another video posted on February 26 included an excerpt from a new rap song that referenced stabbing the two teenagers and ’33 seconds’.
Wescott later urged followers to share the videos to increase engagement and made another post celebrating the fact that one video had been watched 10,000 times, adding: ‘Love to everyone showing love to my ting.
‘Tap in, this is only the start trust me.’
Mason Rist’s mother Nikki Knight previously expressed her ‘disgust’ at the posts.
She said: ‘The whole thing has made me so angry. How do so many people have access to phones in prison?
‘I know the prison services do their utmost to monitor it and remove them when they find them but I think more needs to be done to stop this happening.
‘I haven’t watched the post myself, I can’t bring myself to see what he was saying.
‘But I know it’s out there and for it to be shared around on social media is disgusting enough.’
Ms Rist said she has scheduled an urgent meeting with members of the prison services to discuss the matter.
‘Surely there is a way to stop internet access or stop them getting data on these phones. I hope some changes can be made.’
A Youth Custody Service spokesperson said: ‘Our thoughts are with the families of Max Dixon and Mason Rist who deserve better than to see this killer gloating about these awful murders.
‘Young offenders are not permitted to access social media or mobile phones and face sanctions if they are caught doing so, including extra time in custody.
‘We are investigating these recordings with the council that runs the Secure Children’s Home where Kodishai Westcott is held and have demanded that social media companies take them down.’
Wescott and his four accomplices were involved in a turf war in south Bristol but Max and Mason had nothing to do with any dispute.
The two boys had just left Mason’s home to walk to a local takeaway when they were ambushed and attacked by the gang.
The trial watched video that showed Wescott armed with a long sword-type zombie knife or machete.
The court heard the group had been on a ‘bloodthirsty’ revenge mission after an attack at Wescott’s family home.
They had ‘tooled themselves up’ and were driven by 45-year-old Antony Snook to look for those responsible.
Armed with a machete, zombie knife and baseball bat, they leapt out of the vehicle to attack Mason and Max as they headed out to buy pizza.
They were stabbed during a chilling 33-second attack caught on camera and both died later in separate hospitals.
Wescott was convicted and jailed alongside Antony Snook, 45, Riley Tolliver, 18, and two other teenagers, who cannot be named because of their age. All five were handed life sentences.
Wescott does not turn 18 until August, but the judge chose to lift an anonymity order.
‘You were part of a group who attacked and killed two boys,’ the judge told the defendants at their sentencing.
‘The boys you killed were Mason Rist and Max Dixon. They were your age. They had done nothing wrong. They didn’t attack the house, they had nothing to do with it.
‘You have heard how much pain you have caused to their families.’