The parents of two brothers killed in a mass street fight welcomed the life sentence given to one of their son's killers today.

The couple spoke out after 28-year-old Imran Aslam, from Tooting, was told he must serve at least 20 years behind bars for the murder of Haider Ali, 23, from Southfields.

Aslam was convicted of the 2006 killing by an Old Bailey jury last month, but was acquitted of the murder of his 24-year-old brother, Mohammad Ali, from Battersea.

At the court on Monday Judge Martin Stephens noted there had been “outrageous incidents of mob violence in the quiet suburban streets of Tooting Bec” on the night of April 21.

He said, during Aslam's four-week trial, the court heard how two gangs clashed in a series of “planned fights”.

The Ali brothers were both stabbed and beaten in Fircroft Road, Tooting, when the van they were driving in was ambushed by a 30- to 40-strong gang of men.

The thugs descended upon the van armed with a variety of weapons. Witnesses described seeing the attackers with knives, baseball bats, sticks, metal poles, a hammer and even a steering lock.

In all, police recovered about 40 weapons from the scene.

As the van was attacked, most of the occupants fled from it, running up Fircroft Road. When Mohammad got out the van, he was confronted by some of the yobs and was stabbed in the stomach.

Mohammad ran away shouting to his friends that he had been stabbed before collapsing a short distance away.

Witnesses described the attackers kicking him as he lay dying on the ground.

Haider, seeing his brother in trouble, went back to help him but was soon surrounded and also violently attacked. He was stabbed four times in the back, stabbed in the leg with a screw driver and hit with a baseball bat and a hammer.

Judge Stephens said: “In the end two men were dead. The streets were littered with weapons including knives and many local inhabitants were left terrified by what they had seen and heard.”

He said, as well as intending to kill Haider, Aslam had also been responsible for supplying knives used in the bloody brawl, and was guilty of fleeing to Pakistan for four years, before being arrested upon his return to the country in April last year.

Judge Stephens added: “You pleaded not guilty and have shown no remorse.”

Aslam responded to his life sentence by throwing a plastic object against the reinforced screen of the dock and shouting at police officers.

Mohammad and Haider's mother, 47-year-old Shahzadi Ali, said she was “very happy” with judge Stephen's decision.

Mrs Ali, of Fleming Mead, Mitcham, said it represented “a little bit of justice” and criticised Aslam for showing “no respect and no remorse".

Her husband, 52-year-old Shahid Ali, added: “In the circumstances, with the way the law operates, I'm satisfied he's got 20 years but obviously I would never like to see him come out again.”

He issued his thanks to the Metropolitan Police's investigating team of officers, particularly Detective Chief Inspector Russell Taylor, Detective Constable Dave Dubberley, Acting Detective Inspector Gail Granville, Detective Constable Kevin Goodman, Detective Superintendent Mick Duffy and Detective Sergeant Brian Hobbs.

Acting Det Ins Granville said: “These murders were as a result of senseless rivalry that has had a life changing impact on not just those directly involved, but the far wider community.

“I would like to thank those members of the local community who have attended court and given their evidence on a number of occasions, at great inconvenience to both their private and professional lives.”

Four other men have already been jailed for their part in the murders.

On January 26, last year, Usman Butt, 21, pleaded guilty to the murder of Haider Ali and violent disorder. He was sentenced to serve 11 years in prison.

Hassan Mir, 22, pleaded guilty to the murder of Haider Ali and violent disorder. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Imran Asif Ali, 23, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cause GBH and was sentenced to six and a half years imprisonment.

Imran Hussain, 27, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cause GBH with intent in relation to the murder of two brothers. He was sentenced to six and a half years imprisonment on February 15, 2010.