TWO brothers who kicked, stamped and punched newsagent Choudhry Zishan to death were today jailed for life.

Sam and Jon McKinley were told by the judge they must serve 28 years each before they are considered for release. They showed no emotion as they were led away at Winchester Crown Court.

Mr Justice Griffith Williams told the two: "You took part in a sustained attack which involved a degree of violence of such he severity that there was an inevitable risk of death. The fact you were both drunk provides no mitigation whatsoever.

"Choudhry Zishan was a thoroughly decent and hard working man. It was his misfortune to chance upon you both as he walked to his car on his way to work, shortly before 4.30am on Sunday March 30. You set about him in a brutal and prolonged attack, leaving him almost dead."

The three week trial heard Mr Zishan, 35, was attacked as he left his home on Eastleigh High Street. He suffered sever head and brain injuries.

Daily Echo:

Sam McKinley, 25, of no fixed abode, and Jon McKinley, 23, of Devon Drive, Chandler's Ford, had been drinking in Eastleigh town centre. They claimed that Jon had mistaken Mr Zishan for an Asian man who had molested their sister earlier that evening, a claim the judge rejected.

Detective superintendent Paul Barton said: "I'm extremely pleased. I think the judge summed it up very accurately. He saw through the lies of the McKinley brothers in the fact that they said they had no intention to rob, we say they did.

"They say it was a case of mistaken identity, we say it wasn't. It was a sustained violent attack against an innocent individual. They were sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 28 years and that's a long time but that won't bring back Mr Zishan.

"There's a sense of justice for the family and they are pleased with the result."