Sharon Beshenivsky: Man accused of murdering Yorkshire police constable to appear at Old Bailey

By Jacob Phillips, PA
Published 17th Apr 2023, 08:06 BST
A man who was extradited from Pakistan will appear at the Old Bailey over the murder of Police Constable Sharon Beshenivsky 18 years ago.

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 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 at Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London on Thursday. 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.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Khan was brought back to the UK and taken into custody at a West Yorkshire police station, where he was charged with killing Pc Beshenivsky.

Court artist drawing by Elizabeth Cook of Piran Ditta Khan appearing in the dock at Westminster Magistrates' Court, London, charged with the murder of Police Constable Sharon Beshenivsky in Bradford 18 years ago. Picture date: Thursday April 13, 2023.Court artist drawing by Elizabeth Cook of Piran Ditta Khan appearing in the dock at Westminster Magistrates' Court, London, charged with the murder of Police Constable Sharon Beshenivsky in Bradford 18 years ago. Picture date: Thursday April 13, 2023.
Court artist drawing by Elizabeth Cook of Piran Ditta Khan appearing in the dock at Westminster Magistrates' Court, London, charged with the murder of Police Constable Sharon Beshenivsky in Bradford 18 years ago. Picture date: Thursday April 13, 2023.

As well as the murder charge, Khan is charged with robbery, two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon.

Khan is charged with the robbery of Mohammed Yousaf of a quantity of cash of a value unknown. The firearms charges relate to alleged possession of a Mac 10 submachine gun and a 9mm pistol.

All the alleged offences are said to have taken place on the same day.