Policewoman weeps as she tells of colleague's murder

A police officer broke down in tears yesterday as she described seeing her colleague Sharon Beshenivsky shot dead outside a travel agency in Bradford last year.

PC Teresa Milburn, who was shot in the chest immediately after PC Beshenivsky was hit, was giving evidence at Newcastle Crown Court, where five men are standing trial accused of involvement in the murder.

The court heard that PC Milburn told police just days after the shooting: "There was an almighty bang. I can see her head [PC Beshenivsky]. It goes to the right, then to the left, and flops. Her arms flop to the side. Her body drops in front of me."

The court heard that PC Milburn gave the same description of events 15 times during eight hours of police interviews in the aftermath of the shootings.

The trial was adjourned several times by Mr Justice Andrew Smith to allow PC Milburn to compose herself.

After being shot in the chest herself, 37-year-old PC Milburn staggered down the road before collapsing and issuing a "code zero" alert to summon help, the court heard. PC Milburn told the court she felt "immense pain" and was "spun round" after being shot at close range. She said she saw a black and Asian man when the two officers arrived at the Universal Express travel agency in Morley Street on 18 November last year and it was the Asian who had the gun.

Yusuf Abdillh Jamma, 20, of Small Heath, Birmingham, Raza Ul-Haq Aslam, 25, of Kentish Town, north London, Faisal Razzaq, 25, and his brother Hassan, 26, both of Forest Gate, east Londonn, all deny murder.

Muzzaker Imtiaz Shah, 25, has pleaded guilty to PC Beshenivsky's murder but denies the attempted murder of PC Milburn.

The trial continues.