Six men – including four brothers – were today starting jail sentences for “horrendous” public violence in Keighley.

Each was locked up for 18 months yesterday after a jury convicted them of unlawful wounding and violent disorder. All were acquitted of attempted murder and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Judge James Goss QC said the six – Arif Mahmood, 32; Basharat Mahmood, 35; Faisal Mahmood, 26; Majid Mohammed, 25; Tariq Mahmood, 38, and Batash Karim, 31 – were victims of enormous provocation, but that did not excuse lawlessness.

Bradford Crown Court heard that the brothers and their families – 28 people in all – had moved to Milton Keynes since the violence on Belgrave Road on April 23 last year.

All six men were cleared of attempting to murder Majid Iqbal and an alternative offence of intending to cause him grievous bodily harm.

Arif Mahmood and Tariq Mahmood were found not guilty of wounding Ansar Iqbal with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and an alternative charge of unlawful wounding.

Arif Mahmood and Majid Mohammed were cleared of wounding Omar Safdar with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm, and an alternative charge of unlawful wounding, on April 20 last year.

Judge Goss told the men they were all mature adults with responsibilities who had led hitherto blameless lives.

“You went out armed with weapons, prepared for a confrontation and taking the law into your own hands. It was a horrendous episode of public disorder in Keighley late at night,” said Judge Goss.

During the trial, prosecutor Christopher Tehrani told the jury that police called to the scene at 11pm found Majid Iqbal on the ground with life-threatening injuries. Two of his brothers, Ansar Iqbal and Sajid Iqbal, were also injured.

Officers found baseball bats, car jacks, an axe and a kitchen knife.

At the time, Arif Mahmood, Basharat Mahmood, Faisal Mahmood, Majid Mohammed and Tariq Mahmood lived on Spencer Street, Keighley. Batash Karim lived on Gordon Street.

The court heard the Mahmood family owned West Lane Autos in West Lane, Keighley, and the Iqbals owned Top End Claims in Belgrave Road.

After the case, Detective Inspector Ryan Bragg said: “We are pleased that all six defendants have been found guilty of serious public order offences and custodial sentences have been passed.”