Sharon Beshenivsky: Who was she and how did she die?

A 74-year old man has appeared in court after being extradited from Pakistan and brought back to the UK, charged with the 2005 murder of police constable Sharon Beshenivsky.

Piran Ditta Khan was taken into custody at a West Yorkshire police station, where he was charged with killing the 38-year-old officer on 18 November, 2005.

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in central London on Thursday.

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.

Beshenivsky, 38, was a serving police officer who had previously worked as a police community support officer with West Yorkshire Police.

She was a constable for nine months and was classed as a probationer and under the supervision of an experienced colleague.

Beshenivsky was a mother of three and had two stepchildren.

Beshenivsky and her colleague, PC Teresa Millburn, responded to a robbery at a travel agent in Bradford, on 18 November, 2005.

Beshenivsky was shot and suffered a fatal wound to the chest.

Milburn was also shot and seriously injured but survived the incident.

Beshenivsky was the seventh female officer to die in the line of duty in England and Wales, and the second to be fatally shot.

He was arrested by Pakistani police in January 2020 following an operation involving the National Crime Agency and local partners.

Khan appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged with murder on May 13 following his extradition from Pakistan.

He was 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.

Khan 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 was also 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.