Two siblings, Michael Stewart, 57, and Anthony Stewart, 60, have been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a civil servant 42 years ago in a series of violent attacks targeting men perceived to be gay. The incident took place in East Finchley, north London, on May 1, 1984, when the brothers assaulted Anthony Littler, causing fatal injuries.
The victim, Anthony Littler, 45, was attacked while walking home from a pub in Carshalton, Surrey, after attending a meeting of The Society for the Preservation of Beer from the Wood. He was found severely injured in an alleyway near East Finchley Tube station, where he had been struck on the head with a blunt object. Despite the efforts of the attackers to conceal their involvement, Michael Stewart made an anonymous call for an ambulance after the assault.
The case remained unsolved for decades until the brothers’ younger sibling, Daniel, came forward to police, revealing that Michael and Anthony Stewart had confessed to the killing. Subsequently, in 2022, the police reinvestigated the case, using covert methods to gather evidence against the brothers, leading to their arrest and conviction.
During the trial, it was revealed that the Stewart siblings and their associates had a history of targeting individuals they believed to be gay. Despite their denial of involvement in the crime, a jury at the Old Bailey found them guilty of murder after a brief deliberation. The judge emphasized the premeditated nature of the attack, highlighting the brothers’ intent to target and harm a victim for robbery.
In a statement following the sentencing, a relative of the victim expressed anger at the perpetrators’ prolonged freedom and random violence against Anthony Littler. The cousin described Mr. Littler as a kind individual with a good sense of humor, emphasizing the tragedy of his senseless death at the hands of the Stewart brothers.
