Two siblings, Michael Stewart, 57, and Anthony Stewart, 60, were recently convicted of the murder of civil servant Anthony Littler, which occurred 42 years ago in East Finchley, north London. The incident took place on May 1, 1984, when Mr. Littler, 45, was brutally attacked while walking home. He sustained fatal head injuries from being struck twice with a blunt object, and was found by passersby in a pool of blood in an alley. The assailants left him with severe brain trauma.
Michael Stewart made an anonymous call for an ambulance shortly after the assault, but the search was abandoned when he ended the call. The brothers and their friends had a disturbing habit of targeting solitary men they believed to be gay. Despite their denial and lack of leads following appeals on BBC Crimewatch and ITV’s Police 5, the case remained unsolved for decades until a breakthrough occurred on the 29th anniversary of the crime.
Daniel, the younger brother of the defendants, disclosed the truth to the police after a family dispute, revealing that his older brothers had confessed to the murder and boasted about engaging in violence against gay individuals. This revelation led to the reopening of the case in 2022, where covert tactics were employed to gather evidence against the brothers. Michael’s loose talk and bragging about the incident ultimately led to their conviction for murder after a brief trial at the Old Bailey.
Senior Crown prosecutor Samantha Yelland commended the long-awaited justice for Anthony Littler, emphasizing the significance of addressing hate crimes. Detective Chief Inspector Neil John highlighted the premeditated nature of the attack, stating that the brothers targeted Mr. Littler due to his vulnerability and isolation in the dark alley.
During the trial, it was revealed that the assailants ambushed Mr. Littler as he walked down the alley, inflicting fatal injuries. Despite a previous emergency call reporting the incident, the caller provided misleading information and did not disclose their identity, which was later attributed to Michael Stewart. Both defendants chose not to testify in court and were remanded into custody pending sentencing on July 3.