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Two men arrested over cold case 1984 murder near Tube station

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Map reveals exact place Anthony Littler was found dead
Map reveals exact place Anthony Littler was found dead

TWO men have been arrested Anthony Littler murder investigation, 40 years after he was found dead in an alley.

Littler was killed after leaving London's East Finchley Tube Station just after midnight on May 1, 1984.

45-year-old Anthony Littler was killed in 1984, his death had remained a cold case eiqrtiqhxixzprw
45-year-old Anthony Littler was killed in 1984, his death had remained a cold caseCredit: PA

His body was found with significant head injuries down a bushy alleyway named The Causeway.

Since the murder happened 40 years ago, the alley has now been covered with housing and a McDonalds.

There have been two previous pushes in 1993 and 2013 by the cops to unearth those responsible for Anthony's death.

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Littler was a single man and civil servant for HM Customs and Excise as an executive officer who lived nearby the tube station.

A Crimewatch episode from October 1984 highlighted the killing and recreated the moments before Littler's death with a lookalike.

Littler was recognised by the station foreman as he passed the ticket barrier on his way home.

Chief inspector David Hatcher told the audience: "Six minutes later the emergency services received a call from someone who wouldn't give his name.

"He said 'a man has been badly injured and is lying in a pool of blood'."

The Crimewatch officer then identified the two phone boxes that the call could have been made from.

A Met spokesperson said on Thursday: "Police believe Anthony was murdered in a random attack but despite an extensive investigation, no one has been charged.

"The motive for the murder also remains unknown."

One man, aged 56, and another aged 57 were arrested earlier today on suspicion of murder.

They men are currently in police custody.

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Two men, including a 58-year-old, were previously arrested in December 2023 and have been bailed until a date in late April.

Police have now arrested two men in relation to the murder
Police have now arrested two men in relation to the murderCredit: PA

LBC reports that police have now linked the killing to a brutal baseball bat assault in the area that had happened the day before.

That assault victim, described as 6ft tall with short brown hair, had gone into Galleon Wine Stores with facial injuries and a black eye.

DCI John Neil said that there could have been witnesses of that first assault.

He said 'a man has been badly injured and is lying in a pool of blood'

Chief inspector David Hatcher

“But there is no forensic evidence in this case and while a modern-day murder investigation would revolve around CCTV, there was none around this, so it’s very much the old-fashioned way of knocking on doors and speaking to people."

Police said the person who made the 999 call from a telephone box didn't leave their details and they would still like to speak with them.

Anthony's cousin told LBC that Anthony had been a kind and gentle man and his death had broken his family's heart.

They hope that the investigation put the responsible people behind bars.

Jagdish Patel, who owns the Express Mart on High Road, opposite East Finchley Station, and has lived next door to it since the 1970s, thinks police have missed their chance to catch the killer.

“It wasn’t very well publicised. Most of the neighbourhood, we knew them, and people used to come to the shop and there was never much discussion of that.

“There’s not much hope of them finding them now - the whole estate has changed, and people have moved on.”

Anyone with information should contact police on 020 8358 0100 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

An appeal poster outside East Finchley Underground station in north London
An appeal poster outside East Finchley Underground station in north LondonCredit: PA

James Halpin

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