Two brothers jailed for life for 1984 murder of Anthony Littler
Two brothers were sentenced to life imprisonment for the 1984 murder of Anthony Littler, following a family dispute that led to the killing.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Two brothers have been jailed for life for the murder of a civil servant in London 42 years ago. Anthony Littler, 45, was attacked near East Finchley underground station in May 1984. He suffered a catastrophic head injury and died. His wallet, cash and briefcase were not taken.
Michael Stewart, now 57, and Anthony Stewart, now 60, were 15 and 18 at the time of the killing. They were convicted last month at the Old Bailey after a trial. The jury took less than three hours to find them guilty. Both received life sentences: Anthony Stewart with a minimum term of 15 years, Michael Stewart with a minimum term of 10 years.
Prosecutors said the murder was part of a campaign of violent attacks by the brothers against men they believed to be gay. The judge, Mrs Justice Cuts, said in her sentencing remarks: "The hard blow to the head indicates as the jury found that your group intended really serious bodily injury. Mr Littler was the unfortunate victim of your plan as I have said there was nothing in his life to suggest that he was homosexual. You targeted that decent honest individual and you took his life."
The original investigation failed to produce any leads, despite appeals on Crimewatch and ITV. A breakthrough came in 2013 when the brothers' younger brother, Daniel Stewart, contacted police. He had been 10 at the time of the murder and said the brothers had boasted about taking part in "queer bashing". Police reopened the investigation in 2022 and used undercover surveillance, including listening devices, to monitor the two brothers. This led to their trial.
The judge acknowledged the long wait for justice, saying: "For over 42 years none of Mr Littler's family knew what had happened to him. Their grief was made all the worse for the fact that those who had killed him had not been brought to justice."
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One | Sky News |
|---|---|---|
| Police became aware of the brothers' involvement after a family falling out. | · | |
| Police used undercover surveillance and listening devices to monitor the brothers in 2022. | · | |
| The brothers were 15 and 18 at the time of the murder. | · | |
| The brothers' younger brother Daniel Stewart contacted police in 2013, leading to a breakthrough. | · | |
| The murder was part of a campaign of violent attacks against men believed to be gay. | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Sky News provided a detailed account of the case, focusing on the motive (queer bashing), the investigative breakthrough via the younger brother, the undercover surveillance, and the judge's sentencing remarks. The tone was factual and thorough, highlighting the long delay in justice and the family's grief.
- “Two brothers have been jailed for life for killing a civil servant in London 42 years ago”
- “the hard blow to the head indicates as the jury found that your group intended really serious bodily injury”
- “the Stewart's younger brother Daniel Stewart contacted police ... to say that the brothers had made a confession and he had said that they boasted about taking part in queer bashing”
BBC ONE West gave a very brief summary of the case, focusing on the basic facts: the brothers' ages, the location, and the family falling out that led to police awareness. The report was short and included unrelated stories about the Invictus Games and the Byard Tapestry, indicating the murder story was not the main focus.
- “Two brothers have been jailed for life over the murder of a man 42 years ago.”
- “Michael Stewart and Anthony Stewart were just 15 and 18 when they set upon Anthony Littler in a dark alleyway in East Finchley in North London, bludgeoning him to death in May 1984.”
- “Police only became aware of their involvement after a falling out within the family.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.