Brothers’ boast led detectives to their door 40 years after civil servant found battered to death in London alleyway

Anthony Stewart (L) and Michael Stewart (R) will finally be sentenced for their crimes 42 years after the death of civil servant Anthony Littler (Picture: Met Police)

It took more than 40 years but patient murder detectives finally got their killers by exploiting a family rift.

In one of the Met’s longest ever cold cases Anthony Littler was found battered to death in an alleyway near a north London Tube station.

Michael Stewart, 57, and Anthony Stewart, 60, were found guilty at the Old Bailey over the killing of the bespectacled civil servant in East Finchley in 1984.

The 45-year-old had been to a pub with friends before he was discovered dead in a dark, isolated path known as Dead Dog’s Alley.

Police had no suspects or direct witnesses.

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