The mastermind of an armed robbery in which PC Sharon Beshenivsky was shot dead, Piran Ditta Khan, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for her murder.
PC Sharon Beshenivsky was gunned down while responding to a robbery of a travel agents in Bradford in 2005. Piran Ditta Khan fled to Pakistan shortly after the incident, where he evaded justice for almost 20 years. He was extradited to the UK in April 2023, after a collaborative operation with the Crown Prosecution Service, Pakistani authorities, West Yorkshire Police and the National Crime Agency.
The court heard how Khan was the mastermind behind the robbery, visiting the travel agents beforehand. During sentencing, Justice Hilliard remarked how Khan had spent the last 19 years at liberty when he should have been behind bars. He said: “The four of you shared a murderous intent…You set off a chain of events.”
Outside of court, David Holderness, Specialist Prosecutor for CPS Yorkshire & Humberside, said: “Despite not firing the fatal shot, he is as guilty of Sharon’s murder as the man who pulled the trigger.
“This was a complex investigation and prosecution, spanning 18 years and requiring multiple agencies to work closely together.
“I would like to thank West Yorkshire Police, the National Crime Agency, the Pakistani authorities, and colleagues in our International Unit who helped extradite Khan so we could deliver justice for Sharon and her family.”
Khan was found guilty of murder at Leeds Crown Court in April. He was also found guilty of two counts of possessions of a firearm with intent to endanger life and two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon. He is the final of the seven men involved in the robbery to face trial.
In a statement, Beshenivsky’s family said their daughters birthday is now a “day of remembrance and memorial”.
“The 18th November 2005 is a date that will remain etched in our memories forever. What started as a happy, special day to celebrate Lydia’s fourth birthday, was a day that ended in devastating, sad consequences due to the callous actions of Piran Ditta Khan and his associates.
“That was the day the lives of our family and those close to Sharon changed forever. As well as Sharon’s friend and colleague Teresa, and her family.