Two brothers have been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a civil servant 42 years ago, a crime committed during a spree of violent robberies targeting gay men. Michael Stewart, 57, and Anthony Stewart, 60, were 15 and 18 respectively when they attacked Anthony Littler as he walked home in East Finchley, north London, on May 1, 1984. The victim was bludgeoned to death with a baseball bat-type weapon.
Sentencing at the Old Bailey
Following a trial at the Old Bailey, the pair were found guilty of murder. On Friday, Mrs Justice Cutts handed down life sentences: Anthony Stewart, deemed likely 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. The judge noted that the attack was not impulsive, stating, "I am quite sure your group was lying in wait for a victim, someone to attack and rob."
Although there was no evidence that Mr. Littler was gay, the judge observed that the defendants had targeted gay men to rob, remarking, "1984 was a different time and in many respects a different place." The brothers had boasted about "queer bashing" to their younger sibling, who later reported them to police.
The Victim's Legacy
Anthony Littler, aged 45 at the time of his death, was described as a "quiet, kind and gentle man" who lived alone and worked as a civil servant. His cousin, Patricia McClure, expressed anger that the murderers had enjoyed 42 years of freedom, stating, "They picked Anthony at random for fun." She added, "Anthony was an only child. We were always very close because of it. I lost a great friend who was like a brother to me."
On the night of the murder, Mr. Littler, a real ale enthusiast, had attended a meeting of the Ponds Branch of The Society for the Preservation of Beer from the Wood at a pub in Carshalton, Surrey. He was ambushed as he walked home down a narrow alleyway from East Finchley Tube station at 12:18 a.m. He was hit twice over the head, and despite having £80 cash and credit cards, nothing was taken. He was found mortally wounded half an hour later by members of the public, having suffered a catastrophic brain injury.
The Investigation and Breakthrough
Within minutes of the attack, Michael Stewart anonymously called for an ambulance from a phone box but hung up, causing the search to be called off. The case remained unsold for decades despite appeals on BBC Crimewatch and ITV's Police 5. The breakthrough came on the 29th anniversary of Mr. Littler's death when the defendants' younger brother, Daniel, who was 10 at the time, came forward to police after a family falling out. Years after the killing, Michael Stewart had also admitted his guilt to a girlfriend and showed her the location of the attack.
In 2022, police reopened the investigation and deployed covert techniques, bugging the brothers' cars and Michael's home. While Anthony was a man of few words, Michael proved to have a "loose tongue" and bragged about his actions in 1984. Both defendants, from north London, denied involvement in the group attack during a robbery but declined to give evidence.
Aggravating Factors and Mitigation
Prosecutor John Price KC noted that Anthony Stewart had a previous conviction for racially aggravated assault in 2010, and Michael Stewart had boasted that his record did not reflect his violent behavior. Intimidation of witnesses was also cited as an aggravating factor. In mitigation, it was argued that if gay men were targeted, it was because they were less likely to report being robbed, not due to hostility towards their sexuality.
