Image source, West Yorkshire Police
The ringleader of an armed robbery in which a police officer was shot dead almost 20 years ago is due to be sentenced for her murder.
Piran Ditta Khan, 75, spent nearly two decades evading justice for his part in the killing of PC Sharon Beshenivsky in Bradford on 18 November 2005.
Khan, who was extradited from Pakistan last year, was the last of seven men involved in the robbery to face trial.
He had admitted robbery but was found guilty of murder after a trial.
At Leeds Crown Court last month, he was also found guilty of two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon.
Image source, West Yorkshire Police
PC Beshenivsky, 38, was gunned down on her youngest daughter’s fourth birthday as she arrived at the scene of the robbery at a travel agents in the city centre.
Shot at close range and left lying on the pavement, her injuries were instantly fatal.
Her colleague, Teresa Milburn, then 37, was also shot and seriously injured at the same time, though she survived the attack.
In the huge manhunt that followed, the gang, who had escaped with little more than £5,000, were eventually caught.
Six people were subsequently convicted of charges including murder and manslaughter, with Khan being the seventh and final to face trial.
Image source, West Yorkshire Police
During the eight-week trial, jurors were told Khan was the mastermind behind the robbery and played a “pivotal role in planning the raid and giving instructions to the others”.
Khan told the court he was waiting in a car and “eating sandwiches” with Hassan Razzaq while the raid was being carried out.
Razzaq and his brother Faisal Razzaq were later found guilty of manslaughter, robbery and firearms offences. Raza Ul-Haq Aslam was convicted of robbery.
Muzzaker Shah and brothers Yusuf Jama and Mustaf Jama – the three armed men who went into Universal Express – were convicted of murder, robbery and firearms offences.
Khan had spent almost two decades evading justice having fled to Pakistan shortly after PC Beshenivsky’s death.
He remained there before being arrested by Pakistani authorities in 2020 and was extradited to the UK to face justice last year.
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
