Brothers found guilty of murdering civil servant in homophobic hate crime 42 years ago
Two brothers were found guilty of murder 42 years after brutally killing a civil servant in a series of unprovoked acts of violence targeting gay men.
Michael Stewart, 57, and Anthony Stewart, 60, were teenagers when they ambushed Anthony Littler as he walked home in East Finchley, north London, on May 1, 1984.
Littler, 45, was shot twice in the head with a blunt weapon and was found fatally wounded half an hour later; He still has his briefcase, £80 in cash and credit cards.
Minutes after the attack, Michael Stewart made an anonymous call for an ambulance from a phone booth, but the search for the injured man was called off after the man hung up. Littler was discovered lying in a pool of blood in an alley by members of the public, having suffered a “catastrophic” brain injury.
Jurors at the Old Bailey were told that in the spring of 1984 the Stewart brothers and their friends became a “hobby” of targeting lonely men they believed were gay.
Despite house-to-house inquiries by police, the brothers claimed they were at home at the time of the attack, while Anthony Stewart insisted he had never used the street. Objections at BBC Crime Watch and ITVs police 5 failed to yield meaningful leads, leaving the case unsolved for decades.
A breakthrough came on the 29th anniversary of Littler’s death, when the defendants’ younger brother Daniel, then 10, contacted the police following a domestic dispute.
He told officers that his brothers had confessed to the murder and boasted about being involved in the “bizarre beating”. Years after the murder, Michael Stewart also confessed his crime to a girlfriend and even showed her the crime scene.
In 2022, police reopened the investigation using undercover techniques, including bugging the brothers’ cars and Michael’s home. The court heard Anthony was described as a man of few words, but Michael proved to have a “loose tongue” and boasted about his actions in 1984.
Following the Old Bailey trial, the jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding them guilty of murder on Monday.
Senior Crown prosecutor Samantha Yelland acknowledged the “challenges” faced by investigators, including the loss of key evidence such as a potential murder weapon. He said the decision to employ undercover tactics was “unusual” but necessary due to the lack of other evidence to prosecute the historic hate crime.
Ms Yelland told the Press Association: “I’m delighted that after all these years we have managed to get justice for Anthony Littler. It is never right for someone to die in these circumstances, especially in a hate crime. I’m glad we have been able to get justice for his family.”
Detective Chief Inspector Neil John, of Scotland Yard, said: “Anthony’s life came to an abrupt end when he was killed in a brutal attack by two teenagers who we now know had a clear penchant for the most sickening form of violence.
“They targeted Anthony because he was alone, defenseless and walking down a dark street where they knew no one would see them as they carried out their horrific attack.”
He added: “We know Anthony’s murder continues to cause pain to his family all these years later and we are pleased they now know who is responsible for his death.”
During the trial, prosecutor John Price KC detailed Littler’s final evening spent with a group of real ale enthusiasts at a pub in Carshalton, Surrey. He arrived at East Finchley Underground station at 12.18am on May 1 and was ambushed in a narrow alleyway. Mr Price suggested the attackers may have panicked and fled before robbing him when the extent of his injuries became clear.
Edward Dyer, a local resident, heard a loud scream that “sounded like a scream of pain.” About half an hour later, Annalieze and James Hainge found Littler injured. Mrs Hainge called emergency services while her husband stayed with the victim, who died at the scene from two skull fractures and “catastrophic brain damage”.
Ms Hainge’s call was the second 999 alarm. At 12.22am an unidentified person called the operator asking for an “ambulance immediately” and said: “I can’t stop, just call an ambulance to East Finchley station, there’s an injured man outside the station.”
The caller, described as “abnormally anxious” and “well-spoken” with a “young voice”, claimed the casualty was “bleeding profusely” before hanging up. Station staff found no sign of an injured man and the incident was stopped. Mr Price told jurors the evidence now showed Michael Stewart made the first 999 call.
Both defendants, from north London, denied involvement and refused to give evidence. They were arrested and will be sentenced on July 3.
