Pc murder accused admits robbery

Mustaf Jama's brother has been convicted of the officer's murder

A man accused of murdering Pc Sharon Beshenivsky in Bradford in 2005 has admitted taking part in the robbery in which the officer was shot dead.

Mustaf Jama, 28, denies murder and firearms offences and faces a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

Pc Beshenivsky, 38, was killed and Pc Teresa Milburn, then 37, was wounded at Universal Travel Agents in Morley Street on 18 November 2005.

Prosecutors said Jama was in a gang who would stop at nothig to avoid arrest.

Prosecutor Robert Smith QC told jurors: "November 18, 2005 began as an ordinary working day for two female police officers on duty in the city of Bradford.

"They were not to know that before the end of the day and their tour of duty, one would be dead and the other seriously injured."

It was deliberate, callous and unnecessary and done with the intention of killing both officers Robert Smith QC, prosecutor

Mr Smith said that shortly before their shift was due to end, the officers responded to an alarm call at the travel agents.

"Within minutes, both of them had been shot," he continued.

"One of them, Pc Sharon Beshenivsky, suffered a bullet wound that killed her while the other, Pc Teresa Milburn, was shot in the chest but survived the attempt on her life.

"The man responsible for shooting both officers killed Pc Beshenivsky and attempted to kill Pc Milburn."

The court was told the officers stood in the way of the killer as he tried to escape after robbing the agents.

"It was deliberate, callous and unnecessary and done with the intention of killing both officers," said Mr Smith.

The jury heard both officers were shot in the chest at close range and that, between them, three men were armed with a 9mm self-loading pistol and a 9mm semi-automatic machine gun.

Five convicted

"They were dangerous men who had used violence to the owner of the premises they had just attacked and were prepared to stop at nothing to avoid arrest," said Mr Smith.

Mr Smith told the jury that even if Jama had not fired the fatal shot, he was "as much guilty of murder as the man who did".

"Two of the men, Muzzaker Shah and Yusuf Jama, have both already been convicted of murder, robbery and firearms offences.

"The third man is the accused sitting in the dock. He is the brother of Yusuf Jama."

The court heard that four other men, besides Jama, his brother and Shah, were involved in the robbery.

Faisal Razzaq and his brother Hassan, who have already been convicted of possessing firearms, were waiting outside the travel agents with Piran Ditta Khan, who has never been caught, and Raza Ul-Haq Aslam, who was convicted of robbery.

The judge, Mr Justice Openshaw, ruled anybody with a close connection to a friend or family member serving in the police force could not serve on the jury for the trial, which is expected to last three weeks.