Two brothers have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a civil servant 42 years ago, a crime they committed “for fun.” Michael Stewart, 57, and Anthony Stewart, 60, were aged 15 and 18 respectively when they attacked Anthony Littler as he walked home in East Finchley, north London, on May 1, 1984. Littler was bludgeoned to death with a baseball bat-type weapon and another implement.
Younger Brother's Tip-Off Led to Arrest
The breakthrough in the cold case came 29 years after the murder when the brothers' younger sibling, Daniel, reported them to police following a family falling out. Daniel, who was 10 at the time of the killing, stated that his siblings had confessed to the murder and boasted about “queer bashing.” This information prompted a reinvestigation by police in 2022, which included bugging the brothers' cars and Michael's home.
During the trial at the Old Bailey, the jury found both brothers guilty of murder. On Friday, Mrs Justice Cutts handed down life sentences: Anthony Stewart, believed to have delivered the fatal blow, received a minimum term of 15 years, while Michael Stewart, who acted as a lookout, was jailed for at least 10 years.
Judge Condemns Premeditated Attack
In a televised sentencing, the judge described Anthony Littler as a “quiet, kind and gentle man” who lived a “decent and honest life.” She stated, “This was not an impulsive attack, I am quite sure your group was lying in wait for a victim, someone to attack and rob.” The judge also noted that the defendants targeted men they believed to be gay, though there was no evidence Littler was homosexual. She remarked, “1984 was a different time and in many respects a different place.”
Prosecutor John Price KC highlighted aggravating factors, including Anthony Stewart's prior conviction for racially aggravated assault in 2010 and Michael Stewart's boastful attitude about his violent behavior. Witness intimidation was also cited as an aggravating factor.
Victim's Cousin Expresses Anger and Grief
Patricia McClure, Littler's cousin, released a statement expressing her fury that the murderers had 42 years of freedom and “picked Anthony at random for fun.” She described Littler as “kind” with a “great sense of humour” and noted that he wrote to his mother weekly. She added, “I am heartbroken for my aunt that she never got the chance to find out what really happened to her son.”
On the night of his murder, Littler, a real ale enthusiast, had attended a meeting of the Ponds Branch of The Society for the Preservation of Beer from the Wood in Carshalton, Surrey. He was ambushed as he walked home from East Finchley Tube station at 12:18 am, suffering a catastrophic brain injury. He was found by members of the public lying in a pool of blood, still in possession of his briefcase, £80 cash, and credit cards.
Decades-Long Cover-Up Unravels
By spring 1984, the Stewart siblings and their friends had turned targeting lone men they believed to be gay into a “hobby,” jurors were told. During initial police inquiries, the brothers claimed to be at home, and binman Anthony Stewart denied ever using the alley where the attack occurred. Despite appeals on BBC Crimewatch and ITV's Police 5, the case remained unsolved for decades.
Years after the killing, Michael Stewart admitted his guilt to a girlfriend and even showed her the crime scene. In 2022, police deployed covert techniques, bugging cars and Michael's home. Anthony was described as a man of few words, but Michael had a “loose tongue” and bragged about the murder. Both defendants, from north London, denied involvement in the group attack during a robbery but declined to give evidence.
In mitigation, the defense argued that if gay men were targeted, it was because they were less likely to report robberies, not due to hostility. However, the court rejected this reasoning, and the brothers were sentenced to life imprisonment.
