Decades-Long Cold Case Solved: Brothers Jailed for Brutal 1984 Murder
For over 40 years, the brutal murder of civil servant Anthony Littler remained one of the Metropolitan Police’s most perplexing unsolved cases. Littler, a 45-year-old man, was discovered bludgeoned to death in a secluded alleyway in East Finchley on May 1, 1984. His briefcase, along with his cash and cards, were left untouched, indicating robbery wasn’t the primary motive. He had been ambushed, but for decades, leads were scarce, and no witnesses stepped forward, despite public appeals on prominent crime shows.
The breakthrough finally arrived in 2022 when a reopened investigation, spurred by a family dispute, led to the conviction of brothers Michael and Anthony Stewart.
A Family Revelation Unlocks the Past
The key to unlocking this decades-old mystery lay within the Stewart family itself. The brothers, who were just 15 and 18 at the time of Anthony Littler’s murder, had a disturbing pattern of targeting lone men they believed to be gay. The renewed investigation gained momentum when their younger brother, Daniel, came forward in 2013. Daniel, who was only 10 when the attack occurred, revealed details of the murder following a family argument concerning inheritance.
On the 29th anniversary of Littler’s death, Daniel recounted a confession made by his brother Michael in 1984. Michael had admitted to him that he had “robbed a bloke and he died.” Daniel elaborated to the police, stating that Michael had described how they “bashed his head in with a wooden object, like a rounders bat,” and that it was Tony (Anthony Stewart) who wielded the weapon and inflicted the fatal blows.
Anthony Stewart, the elder of the two brothers, now 60, made a similarly incriminating disclosure in the early 1990s. Daniel recalled a conversation in a pub in Finchley when he was around 18 or 19. He remembered discussing the murder with Anthony, who became emotional, broke down in tears, and admitted his involvement, along with Michael, in the man’s murder.
Years later, Michael’s ex-girlfriend also came forward, corroborating his confession. She revealed that Michael had boasted about the murder and frequently admitted to his and Anthony’s pattern of assaulting people. However, despite these revelations, the case wasn’t actively pursued again for another seven years, during which time detectives assessed the available evidence to determine if a prosecution was viable.
The Mysterious 999 Call
The original investigation files contained documents from Transport for London (TfL), the significance of which was initially unclear. Working collaboratively with the TfL Museum, detectives managed to decipher handwritten records detailing the precise arrival and departure times of Tube trains at various stations.
By cross-referencing this information with accounts from station staff, investigators were able to establish that Anthony Littler had left East Finchley station at 12:18 am, intending to walk the short distance home. A 999 call was made just four minutes later, at 12:22 am, from a public phone box located near the alleyway where Littler was attacked. The caller stated, “I can’t stop, just get an ambulance to East Finchley station, there’s a man hurt outside the station.” The emergency operator noted that the caller sounded young and “abnormally concerned,” but the call ended abruptly.
A witness, who came forward in 2015, testified that Michael Stewart had admitted to “ringing the old bill” (police) after the murder. Prosecutors presented this as strong evidence that Michael was indeed the individual who made the 999 call. This same witness also claimed to have been shown the crime scene by Michael.
Despite the 999 call, station staff conducted a search of the immediate area but found no one. The search was eventually stood down, only for Anthony Littler’s body to be discovered by Annalieze and James Hainge approximately half an hour later. He had suffered two skull fractures and a “catastrophic brain injury,” which proved fatal at the scene.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil John summarised the motive, stating, “They targeted Anthony because he was alone, defenceless and walking down a dark alley in which they knew no-one would see them carrying out their horrendous assault. They lay in wait for someone to cross their path and tragically for Anthony, he became their unsuspecting victim.”
Uncovering a Pattern of Violence
As detectives delved deeper into the reopened investigation, they began to construct a disturbing picture of the teenage Stewart brothers’ violent lifestyle. Individuals who knew the brothers, including members of their own family, confirmed that Anthony and Michael had a penchant for attacking solitary men they suspected of being gay. They were known to seek out these individuals when they were alone and vulnerable.
Further investigation revealed that Anthony Stewart and his parents had provided false information regarding his address to mislead the police.
While Anthony claimed to be living at the family home, he was, in reality, residing in a bedsit in Bounds Green, a location not far from the murder scene. He only visited his mother on Sundays. This fabricated alibi significantly hampered the initial police inquiries, leading them to rule him out for decades.
Upon reopening the case in 2022, police employed covert surveillance tactics, including bugging the brothers’ cars and Michael’s home. While Anthony was described as a man of few words, Michael proved to be the more voluble of the two, repeatedly boasting about the killing.
Justice Served After Four Decades
Despite denying any involvement in Mr. Littler’s death during police interviews and choosing not to give evidence at their trial, both Michael and Anthony Stewart were found guilty of murder. After a trial at the Old Bailey, the jury deliberated for less than three hours before reaching their verdict.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Samantha Yelland acknowledged the significant challenges faced by investigators in bringing this historic case to trial, including the loss of crucial evidence, such as the potential murder weapon. She described the decision to use covert tactics as “unusual” but necessary in the absence of other evidence to prosecute this hate crime.
Following the guilty verdicts, Ms. Yelland expressed her satisfaction in achieving justice for Anthony Littler after so many years. She emphasised that no one should die under such circumstances, particularly in a hate crime, and expressed her relief at being able to deliver justice for his family.
The brothers are scheduled to be sentenced in July.
