PC Sharon Beshenivsky: Man accused of murdering police officer in West Yorkshire appears in court

Piran Ditta Khan, 74, is charged with the murder of the 38-year-old on November 18, 2005, as she and a colleague responded to a robbery at Universal Travel in Morley Street, Bradford.

The 38-year-old married mother-of-three, with two stepchildren, was a probationer with only nine months' service when she was killed. Her colleague, Pc Teresa Millburn was seriously injured.

Khan appeared in the dock of Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London on Thursday wearing a blue and white Nike tracksuit jacket. He is also charged with robbery, two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon.

He was not asked to enter a plea to any of the alleged offences and spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and to tell the court he was having some trouble hearing.

The court heard that a warrant was issued for the arrest of the defendant in Pakistan in 2018 and that he was was detained in 2020. Khan is charged with the robbery of Mohammed Yousaf of a quantity of cash of a value unknown.

The firearms charges relate to his alleged possession of a Mac 10 sub-machine gun and a 9mm pistol. All the alleged offences are said to have taken place on the same day.

No bail application was made and District Judge John Zani remanded Khan back into custody before he appears at the Old Bailey on Monday.The trial may take place in Leeds but detailed arrangements for that were not made, the court heard.

Craig Nicholls, chairman of the West Yorkshire Police Federation, has issued a statement following the news that Khan had been extradited from Pakistan. He said: “The murder of PC Sharon Beshenivsky and the attempted murder of her colleague PC Teresa Milburn sent a shockwave not only through West Yorkshire but throughout the world. We still mourn the loss of Sharon. She will never be forgotten.

“The persistence to bring to justice all those involved in the murder of PC Beshenivsky has never wavered. I know my colleagues within West Yorkshire will now be watching closely the wheels of justice turning in this case."