Two brothers have been convicted of the murder of a civil servant 42 years ago following a series of violent attacks against gay men. Michael Stewart, aged 57, and Anthony Stewart, aged 60, committed the crime when they were 15 and 18, respectively, by fatally assaulting Anthony Littler as he was walking home in East Finchley, north London, on May 1, 1984.
The victim, 45-year-old Mr. Littler, was struck twice on the head with a blunt object and was discovered by passersby in an alley, lying in a pool of blood. Despite being found shortly after the attack, Mr. Littler had sustained severe brain injuries. Following the assault, Michael Stewart anonymously called for an ambulance from a phone booth, but the search was called off when he abruptly ended the call.
During the trial, it was revealed that the Stewart brothers and their associates had developed a disturbing habit of targeting solitary men they perceived to be gay. Despite initially denying involvement in the attack on Mr. Littler, the siblings’ younger brother, Daniel, came forward to the police 29 years after the incident, disclosing that his older brothers had confessed to the crime and expressed pride in engaging in “queer bashing.”
In 2022, authorities reopened the case and employed covert investigative methods to gather evidence against the brothers, ultimately leading to their conviction for murder. The court heard that Michael Stewart, in particular, openly discussed his role in the 1984 incident. Following a brief deliberation, a jury found the brothers guilty of the murder.
Senior Crown prosecutor Samantha Yelland praised the outcome, emphasizing the importance of delivering justice in cases of hate crimes. Detective Chief Inspector Neil John highlighted the brothers’ deliberate targeting of Mr. Littler due to his vulnerability and isolation during the attack.
Throughout the trial, details emerged of the events leading up to Mr. Littler’s demise, including the discovery of his injured state by passersby Annalieze and James Hainge. Despite an earlier emergency call reporting the incident, no bleeding man was found, leading to a crucial discrepancy in the investigation.
Both defendants, residents of north London, chose not to testify during the trial. Following their guilty verdicts, the brothers were taken into custody awaiting sentencing on July 3.
