UMVA has learned that two brothers, Anthony Stewart and Michael Stewart, will finally face sentencing for their heinous crimes 42 years after the brutal murder of civil servant Anthony Littler.
The pair, who were 15 and 18 at the time of Anthony's murder, had a sinister 'hobby' of targeting lone men they believed to be gay, and their younger brother Daniel has now come forward with shocking revelations about their involvement in the crime.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Daniel, who was just 10 when the attack happened, told police that Michael had confessed to him in 1984 that he had 'robbed a bloke and he died', and that Anthony was the one who actually wielded the deadly weapon.
Daniel's disclosures were corroborated by similar admissions made by Anthony, now 60, who allegedly broke down and admitted to being involved in the murder during a conversation with Daniel in a pub in Finchley.
Further evidence emerged when Michael's ex-girlfriend came forward after he boasted about the murder and his history of violent attacks, but it wasn't until seven years later that detectives began to investigate the brothers in earnest.
Working with Transport for London, detectives discovered crucial evidence in the form of handwritten records showing the exact time Tube trains arrived and departed stations, which helped them piece together the events of that fateful night.
A 999 call made just two minutes after the attack provided a vital lead, with the caller sounding 'young' and 'abnormally concerned', but the search for the perpetrator was initially unsuccessful.
However, new witnesses and forensic evidence eventually led to the brothers' downfall, revealing a disturbing pattern of violent behavior targeting solitary men they suspected were gay.
DCI Neil John described the brothers' actions as 'horrendous', saying they had targeted Anthony because he was alone and defenseless, and that their assault was a tragic and devastating event.
Throughout their investigation, detectives built up a damning picture of the teenage Stewart brothers' violent lifestyle, including their false alibis and attempts to throw police off their scent.
After a trial at the Old Bailey, a jury deliberated for less than three hours to find the brothers guilty of murder, and they will now face sentencing in July.
Senior Crown prosecutor Samantha Yelland expressed satisfaction with the verdict, saying that justice had finally been served for Anthony Littler and his family, and that the guilty verdicts sent a strong message about the unacceptability of hate crimes.
