Poignant day for the family of shot Pc as killer appeal delayed

THE widower of murdered policewoman Sharon Beshenivsky has told how he did not visit his wife's grave on the fifth anniversary of her death yesterday as the date tragically clashes with their daughter Lydia's birthday.

Paul Beshenivsky said: "We try and remember Sharon on the day after her death and save Lydia's birthday for her. We will go to her grave the day after and take some flowers."

Lydia, who was nine yesterday, was looking forward to having a few friends over to the family home in Keighley and going to see the Harry Potter film.

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It is five years since her 38-year-old mother was shot during a bungled raid on a travel agency in Morley Street in the centre of Bradford.

The mother-of-three – two children with Paul, Lydia and Paul, now 12, and one son from her previous marriage – was gunned down on Lydia's fourth birthday.

In 2006 Yusuf Abdillah Jama, 23, and Muzzaker Imtiaz Shah, 28, were jailed for a minimum of 35 years.

Mustaf Jama, a 30-year-old Somali immigrant, this week launched an appeal against his 35-year minimum jail term in the High Court.

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At a preliminary hearing in London, Mr Justice Rupert Jackson and Mr Justice Ramsey adjourned the case to give his legal team more time to prepare their case. The judges directed that the case return to the court in four weeks, when Jama is expected to seek permission to appeal.

After being brought back to the UK from Somalia to stand trial, Jama was convicted of PC Beshenivsky's murder on the basis that, although he did not pull the trigger, he was, in the words of the prosecution "as much guilty of murder" as the gunman.

Mr Beshenivsky, 47, thinks the timing of his appeal is unfortunate. He said: "The timing of the appeal is rubbish. That he is trying to appeal his sentence is also rubbish. He committed the crime so he should just stick it out. I really hope he does not win."

On a brighter note he said he has set a date for his wedding to fiancee, Michelle, 39, who was the children's nanny after his late wife's death, but is keeping it a secret.