Brothers found guilty of 1984 civil servant murder

Two brothers have been found guilty of murdering a civil servant as he walked home in north London 42 years ago.

Michael Stewart, 57, and Anthony Stewart, 60, were aged 15 and 18 when they ambushed Anthony Littler in an alley in East Finchley on 1 May 1984.

They were convicted of his murder following a trial at the Old Bailey on Monday, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

Samantha Yelland, of the CPS, said Littler's family had lived for decades without answers, adding: "No verdict can undo the suffering Anthony's family and friends have endured, but I hope today's outcome can bring some measure of closure to those who continue feeling the effects of this loss."

The CPS said its London Homicide Unit worked with the Met Police to build a case using evidence from the time of the attack, as well as newer evidence gathered through a police operation, and admissions both brothers had made to associates over decades.

Det Ch Insp Neil John, who led the investigation, said the guilty verdict would not have been possible without "those who came forward to provide information on the events of that night".

He added: "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."

Jurors were told that in the spring of 1984, the Stewart brothers and their friends had made a "hobby" of targeting lone men who they believed to be gay.

The brothers hit Littler, 45, twice over the head with a blunt weapon and he was found mortally wounded, having suffered a "catastrophic" brain injury.

Despite an appeal on BBC Crimewatch and ITV's Police 5, no meaningful leads were identified and the case remained unsolved for decades, the Old Bailey heard.

The breakthrough came on the 29th anniversary of Littler's death, when the defendants' younger brother Daniel, who was 10 at the time, came forward to police after a family falling-out.

He told officers his older brothers had confessed to the killing and boasted about being involved in "queer bashing", jurors were told.

After an Old Bailey trial, a jury deliberated for less than three hours to find them guilty of murder.

The brothers, from north London, were remanded into custody to be sentenced on 3 July.

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