Man jailed for life for killing PC Sharon Beshenivsky in Bradford | News

The court heard that Piran Ditta Khan was the mastermind behind an armed robbery gone wrong in 2005

The mastermind behind an armed robbery in Bradford in which a police officer was shot has been jailed for life with a minimum of 40 years.

PC Sharon Beshenivsky was responding to reports of a robbery at a travel agency when she was shot at her daughter’s fourth birthday in November 2005.

She and her colleague PC Teresa Milburn, who were both unarmed, were shot at point blank range by one of the three men who had just committed the robbery.

After nearly two decades, gang leader Piran Ditta Khan became the last of seven men involved in the robbery to be sentenced in April this year.

The 75-year-old spent 15 years on the run before being arrested in Pakistan.

He was found guilty of Pc Beshenivsky’s murder, as well as two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and two counts of possessing a prohibited weapon. He pleaded guilty to robbery.

Leeds Crown Court heard that although Khan did not leave the safety of a patrol car throughout the raid, he played a “pivotal” role in planning it and knew loaded weapons would be used.

Prosecutors said this made him guilty of murdering Pc Beshenivsky “as surely as if he had pulled the trigger himself”.

During the trial, jurors heard that Khan was the only one in the group who knew Universal Express and had used it in the past to send money to the family.

He flew to Pakistan two months after Pc Beshenivsky’s death and remained at large there until he was arrested by Pakistani authorities in January 2020 and then extradited to the UK last year.

Khan told jurors he did not know a robbery was about to take place or that guns would be taken.

He claimed he was owed £12,000 by the owner of Universal Express and that debt collector Hassan Razzaq, who was later convicted of manslaughter over Pc Beshenivsky’s death, offered to help him recover his money . Prosecutors said there was no evidence of that.

The court heard Pc Beshenivsky’s injury was immediately fatal. PC Milburn, who activated his personal radio and called for help while coughing up blood, survived his injuries after treatment in hospital.

PC Beshenivsky’s family released the statement below:

“November 18, 2005 is a date that will remain etched in our memories forever. What started as a happy day, special to celebrate Lydia’s fourth birthday, was a day that ended with devastating and sad consequences, thanks to the callous actions of Piran Ditta Khan. and its associates.

“Since then, November 18 is no longer a birthday celebration (for Lydia and for all of us), but now a day of commemoration and commemoration.

“That was the day our family and those close to Sharon’s lives changed forever. So is Sharon’s friend and colleague Teresa and her family.

“November 2005 was the beginning of a journey of almost 19 years. A journey in search of truth and justice for Sharon, who was not only a police officer, but a mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend to many lovers.

“Our journey to justice and closure in the legal process is now at an end. This journey has been and continues to be difficult for all of us. Enduring several lawsuits over the years has been tough, each one taking us right back to the beginning. , which made us feel like we lost Sharon all over again, and now we’re picking up the pieces of our lives again and moving forward, as Sharon would have wanted us all to do.

“We want to thank everyone involved in the criminal justice and investigative process for their dedication, perseverance, support and tireless attention to detail that made this day possible.

“We respect the court’s findings and thank the jury for the diligence and care they took in considering all the evidence during the eight-week trial.

“No prison sentence could ever make up for Sharon’s life and our loss, but we will move forward knowing justice has been served.

Assistant Chief Constable Patrick Twiggs of West Yorkshire Police said:

“We welcome the life sentence handed down to Khan today. This is a day of mixed emotions. On the one hand we are pleased to get the final conviction in this case, but on the other we are saddened as it brought into focus the completely pointless waste of life that day.

“For 18 years, I have never given up on getting justice for Sharon and Teresa, and today their families got that justice.

“Sharon was killed in the line of duty in a totally unnecessary act. Sharon was doing her job and protecting the public.

“The pain and suffering of what happened that day and the deep sense of loss will go back to the family, friends, police and local community. It was a day we will never forget.

“I never gave up, I relentlessly pursued Khan even when the going got tough, I never gave up.

“I would like to thank our partners including the CPS, the NCA, the Pakistani authorities and all police forces over the years who have assisted us in this investigation.

“I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the family of Sharon and Tereza and to all those who were affected that day.

“West Yorkshire Police will continue to honor Sharon’s memory, we still mourn her loss, we still miss her, she will forever be in our thoughts.”

You can hear the latest news on Planet Rock.