Two brothers found guilty of murdering man 42 years ago

Two brothers have been found guilty of the murder of a civil servant 42 years ago.

Michael and Anthony Stewart were convicted by a jury of killing Anthony Littler in East Finchley in 1984.

Mr Littler, 45, was found dead in an alleyway close to East Finchley tube station on 1 May 1984, with no one identified as responsible for his murder at the time.

Following a cold case review in 2022, a new investigation began and detectives built their case by speaking to neighbours, former partners, friends and employers of the main suspects.

Michael and Anthony, who were aged 15 and 18 respectively at the time of the murder, were convicted on Monday following a trial at the Old Bailey. They had denied any involvement.

Mr Littler suffered two fractures to the skull, one of which was associated with "catastrophic" brain injury.

Detective chief inspector Neil John, who led the investigation, said: "Anthony's life was suddenly cut short when he was killed in a brutal attack by two teenagers who we now know had a clear propensity for the most sickening kind of violence.

"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.

"We know Anthony's murder has continued to cause his family pain all these years later, and we are pleased that they now know who was responsible for his death.

"We also want to pay tribute to those who came forward to provide information on the events of that night, as well as giving vital evidence in court. Without them, this verdict would not have been possible.

"The Met will always review any new evidence that is brought to us, no matter the length of time that has passed. We will use all of the resources available to seek out the truth and pursue new opportunities to get justice for all victims who have been unlawfully killed."

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(c) Sky News 2026: Two brothers found guilty of murdering man 42 years ago

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