‘Organiser’, 75, of theft which noticed officer shot lifeless goes on trial
- PC Sharon Beshinevsky, 38, was shot lifeless throughout a theft in Bradford in 2005
- Piran Ditta Khan, 75, who allegedly organised the raid, is now on trial for homicide
A policewoman was left to die after being shot lifeless in journey company theft ‘mastermind’ by a pensioner, a court docket has heard.
Piran Ditta Khan, 75, wasn’t personally concerned within the raid that ended with PC Sharon Beshenivsky being shot lifeless at level clean vary and her colleague PC Teresa Milburn critically injured, Leeds Crown Court heard.
But he was described by prosecutor Robert Smith, KC, as the person ‘liable for organising this theft’ that passed off on November 18, 2005.
Mr Smith additionally advised the court docket how Khan had ‘evaded’ justice for 15 years by fleeing to Pakistan, till he was arrested and detained by Pakistan authorities in January 2020.
In court docket immediately, jurors heard how Khan had deliberate the raid, making a scouting journey from his house in Ilford, North London, 5 days earlier on a quiet Sunday when the enterprise was closed.
Mr Smith advised the jury each officers had been shot at ‘almost point blank range’ by one of many three robbers who went contained in the journey company armed with a machine gun, pistol and knife.
The murdered officer’s husband Paul Beshenivsky listened to Mr Smith’s opening remarks from the general public gallery in court docket.
Piran Ditta Khan (pictured), 75, was extradited from Pakistan over the killing of PC Sharon Beshenivsky in 2005. Prosecutors declare he organised the raid in Bradford which resulted within the officer being fatally shot
PC Beshenivsky (pictured) was 38 when she was killed on November 18 2005 after she and a colleague responded to a report of a theft at Universal Travel in Morley Street, Bradford, West Yorkshire
As they fled the scene the gunman fired ‘indiscriminately’ on the street. The males escaped with £5,400 money after the raid on the Universal Express journey company in Bradford on 18 November 2005.
They left PC Beshenivsky to die on the pavement outdoors the premises, he stated. PC Milburn was additionally shot and brought to hospital for emergency remedy and she or he survived.
Police raced to the scene and got a partial registration variety of the robbers’ automobile. PC Milburn was additionally capable of give a ‘temporary description’ of the gunman.
By looking CCTV and automated quantity plate recognition (ANPR) cameras police recognized the Toyota Rav 4 automobile utilized by the three raiders and that had been employed three weeks earlier.
The automobile was traced by police in London the next day however the occupiers had been ‘not the lads who carried out the theft,’ the court docket heard.
In due course the six different males had been all arrested, tried and convicted of offences of homicide, manslaughter, theft and firearms offences. Until his arrest in Pakistan in 2020 Khan evaded seize.
Today he sat within the dock, following the proof with the assistance of an interpreter, as Mr Smith detailed his function within the stunning crime.
Mr Smith advised jurors: ‘The defendant was not one of many males who bodily carried out the theft. He was not one of many group of three who had been personally liable for taking pictures PC Beshenivsky and PC Milburn.’
While the raid was happening he was sat within the passenger seat of a Mercedes automobile which was within the space.
He was the important thing ‘organiser’ and the one with data of the Universal Express enterprise and the inside of the premises.
The enterprise was utilized by native folks to switch funds to family members in Pakistan by paying in money. As a buyer who had used it for this function, Khan was conscious that ‘substantial portions’ of money had been held there, the court docket heard.
Court artist drawing of Piran Ditta Khan showing at Leeds Crown Court immediately, charged with the 2005 homicide of Police Constable Sharon Beshenivsky in Bradford
He knew concerning the safety throughout the constructing and that firearms could be wanted to threaten workers, stated Mr Smith.
Khan was additionally conscious that prospects might solely enter inside by way of a foyer that was locked. Staff checked out folks within the foyer earlier than unlocking the door, the court docket heard.
On the day of the raid two of them robbers had been wearing fits and the third in a white shirt and jacket. Their loaded weapons had been inside a pc bag together with a big knife and cable ties to tie up workers, the jury heard.
They had been dressed to look respectable in order that they might be allowed inside.
The group had a safehouse in Leeds the place they gathered earlier than the raid. It was at this safehouse {that a} witness heard Khan being requested about the amount of money they might anticipate to get within the deliberate theft.
The court docket heard the defendant advised the group a ‘minimal of £50,000 and a most of £100,000.’
The jury heard that Khan has already pleaded responsible to theft of the Universal Express journey company.
The ‘instruction’ to go forward with the theft was allegedly made in a telephone name from the cell phone of Khan’s driver Hassan Razzaq at 3.20pm because the Mercedes drove previous the premises.
The three robbers had been allowed into the constructing after which carried out the theft.
Former West Yorkshire Police detective chief superintendent Andy Brennan arrives at Leeds Crown Court for Khan’s trial
Mr Smith stated the trio ‘threatened and assaulted’ workers and ‘treated them brutally’ through the raid. A single spherical of the machine gun was fired inside earlier than it ‘jammed.’
Then on leaving the journey company after the theft the lads had been ‘confronted by two unarmed female police officers ‘who posed no threat to them whatsoever.’
One of the lads had ‘no hesitation’ in taking pictures each officers with the pistol.
Mr Smith stated there was ‘compelling evidence’ Khan had ‘orchestrated’ the occasions of that day and was full settlement of using firearms.
Recalling the homicide in additional element. Mr Smith stated the 2 officers had been nearing the tip of their shift once they responded to a radio message to go to the journey company. A ‘silent alarm’ had been activated by a member of workers and police alerted.
Two civilian avenue wardens had been within the space and regarded by way of the window and a person – who was one of many robbers – stated ‘we’re on a break.’
The wardens spoke briefly to the law enforcement officials once they arrived of their automobile. CCTV confirmed the 2 officers strolling throughout the road to the constructing. Within seconds they’d each been shot.
PC Beshenivisky had been within the police for simply 9 months. She was shot by way of the center and spinal column and died immediately.
PC Milburn, who was 37 on the time and had been a constable for a yr and eight months, later described the taking pictures. She noticed an Asian man level his pistol at PC Beshenivsky and shoot her after which flip the gun in the direction of her. Mr Smith stated she heard a bang and felt ‘immense pain.’
Fortunately the bullet missed her main organs.
