Murdered PC's daughter hopes to 'find some peace'

PC Sharon Beshinivsky was shot dead as she arrived at the scene of a robbery in Bradford in November 2005

The daughter of murdered West Yorkshire Police officer Sharon Beshinivsky has said she hopes to find "peace" after the sentencing of the last of her mother's killers.

PC Beshinivsky, 38, was shot dead as she arrived at the scene of a robbery at the Universal Express travel agents in Bradford in November 2005.

Piran Ditta Khan, 75, who was the mastermind behind the robbery, was convicted of PC Beshenivsky's murder earlier this month.

Lydia Beshinivsky said there would be "relief" when Khan was finally sentenced in May, the last of seven men involved in the robbery to be convicted.

She told ITV that the family felt "relief he's actually going to be behind bars".

However, she added: "That doesn't really change my heart and fix the hole in my heart is forever going to be like that.

"But on the day of the sentencing, I will be glad to see the back of them.

"With everything that was going on, I couldn't find the words to put on the headstone.

"I don't think any of us could, but hopefully, after all this is finished, we will get a headstone and really find some peace."

Piran Ditta Khan will be sentenced in May after being found guilty of murder earlier this month

It was on Lydia Beshenivsky's fourth birthday that her mother was fatally shot, with police officers arriving during her party to tell her father, Paul, the news.

"My dad was waiting for her to come, like everybody else. Then a car pulled up at the top of the drive, and I actually thought it was my mum coming home," she said.

"The party went on. They just wanted to keep me busy, I think, keep it going.

"To be honest with you, every other birthday, it's been about my birthday. Not about the death."

"I find it hard to this day to celebrate my birthday," Ms Beshenivsky added.

"I do normally go down to Bradford with the police at the memorial and spend my time there."

Khan was found guilty of murder at Leeds Crown Court on 4 April.

He had previously admitted robbery, but denied murder.

He was also found guilty of two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon.

During his trial, the court heard how Khan had spent almost two decades evading justice having escaped to Pakistan shortly after PC Beshenivsky's death.

He remained there before being arrested by Pakistani authorities in 2020 and was extradited to the UK to face justice last year.

He is due to be sentenced in May.

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