PC Sharon Beshenivsky's daughter reveals she's 'relieved' her mother's killer will finally be jailed over gun murder - but admits 'that doesn't really fix the hole in my heart'

The daughter of murdered police officer Sharon Beshenivsky is 'relieved' her mother's killer will finally be jailed, but she admits 'that doesn't really fix the whole in my heart'. 

Lydia's mother, 38, died on her fourth birthday when she was shot dead at point-blank range while responding to a raid at Universal Express travel agents in Bradford, West Yorkshire in 2005.

PC Beshenivsky's colleague Teresa Milburn was also shot in the chest but survived.

Ringleader Piran Ditta Khan, 75, was the seventh and final man to be convicted over the fatal shooting of PC Beshenivsky — almost 20 years after the incident took place. 

The mastermind behind the botched raid fled to Pakistan after murdering PC Beshenivsky where he had escaped capture for years. 

Lydia, 22, told ITV in an emotional interview she has yet to get a headstone for her mother's grave as she 'couldn't find the words'. 

But she hoped she would be able to and 'find some peace' when Khan is sentenced in May. 

'There's relief that he's actually going to be behind bars, but that doesn't really change my heart and fix the hole in my heart is forever going to be like that,' she said.

'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.'

PC Beshenivsky had only been an officer for nine months when she was died in the line of duty. 

Lydia usually spends her birthday mourning the loss of her mother at her memorial in Bradford. 

'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 that it was my mum coming home.'

'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.'

Father-of-six Khan, a takeaway restaurant boss, was not one of the three armed men who went into the Universal Express agency in 2005, but he was the man who planned and organised the ill-fated raid.

The court heard Khan, who had picked the business as a suitable cash-rich target, was parked nearby and gave the go ahead.

With the net closing in Khan fled the country two months later and moved back to his native Pakistan where there was no extradition treaty with the UK.

But years of diplomacy and discussions at a ministerial level eventually led to Khan's arrest in 2020 and he was found guilty by a jury at Leeds Crown Court on April 4, after a seven-week trial.

It means that all seven men involved in the raid have now been convicted over their roles in the robbery.

The three gunmen who went into the agency, armed with a sub-machine gun, pistol and knife, were jailed for murder.

Khan had admitted robbery but told the jury he did not plan or organise it and had no idea the trio of robbers were armed.

Unarmed PC Beshenivisky was shot through the heart and died on the pavement.

PC Beshenivisky's brave colleague was coughing up blood but managed to report the shooting by activating her personal police radio. 

Mr Justice Hilliard told the jury to convict of murder they must be sure Khan intentionally encouraged and assisted the robbers and intended at least really serious harm would be caused if necessary in the course of the raid.

Robert Smith, KC, said Khan's part in the operation was so 'pivotal' that he is guilty of murder.

Universal Express was used by local people to transfer funds to relatives in Pakistan by paying in cash.

As a customer who had used it for this purpose, Khan was aware that 'substantial quantities' of cash were held there, the court heard.

He knew about the security within the building and that firearms would be needed to threaten staff, said Mr Smith.

Khan was also aware that customers could only enter inside through a lobby that was locked. Staff checked out people in the lobby before unlocking the door, the court heard.

On the day of the raid two of them robbers were dressed in suits and the third in a white shirt and jacket.

Their loaded guns were inside a computer bag along with a large knife and cable ties to tie up staff.

They were dressed to look respectable so that they would be allowed inside.

Khan also planned the raid, making a scouting trip five days earlier on a quiet Sunday when the business was closed.

The group had a safehouse in Leeds where they gathered before the raid.

It was at this safehouse that a witness heard Khan being asked about the amount of cash they could expect to get in the planned robbery.

The court heard he told the group a 'minimum of £50,000 and a maximum of £100,000.'

The two police officers were sent there after a member of staff triggered a 'silent alarm' during the raid.

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

Hassan Razzaq and his brother Faisal Razzaq were later found guilty of manslaughter, robbery and firearms offences. Raza Ul-Haq Aslam was convicted of robbery.

The three armed men - Muzzaker Shah and brothers Yusuf Jama and Mustaf Jama -who went into Universal Express - were convicted of murder, robbery and firearms offences.