February 13th 2024.
A man is facing trial almost two decades after Police Constable Sharon Beshenivsky was tragically killed. The court was informed that he was the "mastermind" behind an armed robbery that resulted in the death of one police officer and the serious injury of another.
The incident took place on November 18, 2005, when PC Beshenivsky and her colleague, PC Teresa Milburn, responded to a report of a robbery at a travel agency in West Yorkshire. As they arrived at the scene, they were met with gunfire from one of three men involved in the robbery. The gunman continued to shoot as he fled the scene and eventually got into a nearby car.
According to the prosecution, a total of seven men were involved in the robbery, all of whom have been convicted except for Piran Ditta Khan. Khan, who is now 75 years old, is accused of planning the robbery and fleeing to Pakistan just three months after PC Beshenivsky's death. He remained free until he was arrested by local authorities in January 2020 and then extradited back to the UK.
Khan is now on trial for murder, possession of a firearm, and possession of a prohibited weapon. PC Beshenivsky's widower, Paul, was present in the public gallery as the trial began. The prosecutor, Robert Smith KC, stated that although Khan did not directly participate in the robbery or the shooting, he was aware of the loaded firearms and organized the robbery.
During the robbery, Khan acted as a lookout from a nearby car while the other men carried out the crime. However, the prosecutor argued that Khan was aware of their intentions to use the firearms to harm anyone who got in their way. The prosecution also stated that Khan was familiar with the travel agency as he had used their service before and knew that large amounts of cash were kept on the premises.
The jury was told that the men involved in the robbery had gathered at a house in Leeds on the morning of the incident, where Khan estimated they could make a profit of £50,000 to £100,000. The employees at the travel agency had to buzz customers in through an electric lock, and the robbers were dressed in suits and a smart white shirt and jacket.
One of the men also carried a laptop bag containing loaded firearms, a large knife, and a cable for restraining the staff. When PC Beshenivsky and PC Milburn arrived at the scene, they were unarmed and were met with the armed robbers. PC Beshenivsky was fatally shot, and PC Milburn was seriously injured.
Before fleeing to Pakistan, Khan had a thriving business and domestic life in England and Scotland, including owning a fast food outlet in Aberdeen. Meanwhile, the other men involved in the robbery have been convicted of various offenses, including murder and possession of firearms.
Khan denies the charges against him, and the trial is ongoing.
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