Following his extradition from Pakistan, a man accused of killing a police officer nearly 20 years ago has appeared in court.
On November 18, 2005, as PC Sharon Beshenivsky and a colleague responded to a heist at Universal Travel in Morley Street, Bradford, Piran Ditta Khan, 74, is accused of killing her.
The married, 38-year-old mother of three biological children and two stepchildren was a rookie with only nine months of experience. On her daughter’s fourth birthday, just hours before she was scheduled to host a party at her Haworth home, she was assassinated.
Her colleague, PC Teresa Millburn was seriously injured.
Khan appeared in the dock of Westminster Magistrates’ Court in central London on Thursday wearing a blue and white Nike tracksuit jacket.
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.
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 is 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.
No bail application was made and District Judge John Zani remanded Khan back into custody before he appears at the Old Bailey on Monday.
The judge told him: ‘All the allegations that you face are to be dealt with at a higher court, the Crown Court, so I am transferring this case to the Central Criminal Court in London and you will appear there on Monday.’
The trial may take place in Leeds but detailed arrangements for that were not made, the court heard.