Man found guilty of murdering West Yorkshire PC Sharon Beshenivsky

A man who evaded justice for almost 19 years has been found guilty of the 2005 murder of West Yorkshire Police officer Sharon Beshenivsky.

Piran Ditta Khan, 75, was the ringleader of an armed robbery at a travel agents in Bradford during which PC Beshenivsky was fatally shot.

He was the last of seven men to face trial, having been extradited from Pakistan last year.

It took the jury at Leeds Crown Court almost four days to reach a majority verdict.

Khan, who admitted robbery and was also found guilty of firearms offences, will be sentenced at a later date.

PC Beshenivsky, a 38-year-old mother-of-three, was shot dead after responding to reports of a raid at Universal Express travel agents on Morley Street, Bradford, on 18 November 2005. Her colleague PC Teresa Milburn was also shot but survived.

Between 2006 and 2009 six men were jailed for their parts in the events leading to PC Beshenivsky's death.

Three were convicted of murder, two of manslaughter and a sixth of robbery.

Khan denied knowing about the robbery plot, or that weapons were going to be used.

He claimed an associate had merely offered to get back £12,000 owed to him by the owner of the travel agents.

But prosecutors said Khan played a "pivotal" role in planning the raid and gave instructions to the others.

The jury heard he remained in a lookout car during the robbery, but the prosecution said he was as guilty "as surely as if he had pulled the trigger himself".

Khan fled to Pakistan after PC Beshenivsky's death and evaded justice for more than 14 years before his arrest in January 2020.

Speaking outside court Det Supt Marc Bowes said: "While we welcome today's conviction our thoughts are firmly with PC Sharon Beshenivsky, Teresa Milburn and their family and friends.

"Sharon and Teresa went to work that day, back in November 2005, fully expecting to come home to their family and friends. Due to the horrific actions of those individuals that have now been convicted that wasn't the case."

He added: "I would like to acknowledge the respect and dignity that Sharon's family have shown over the last 18 years and I hope that today's conviction goes some way in enabling them to move on with their lives. Sharon Beshenivsky lost her life in the most horrific of circumstances in the line of duty and she will always be remembered."

Specialist prosecutor David Holderness added: Piran Ditta Khan was the architect of the operation and meticulously planned the robbery that was to be carried out using firearms which, if they thought necessary, could be used to kill.

"Despite not firing the fatal shot, he is as guilty of Sharon’s murder as the man who pulled the trigger."

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