Sisters Aided Gunman Brother’s Escape After He Killed Aspiring Boxer
Two sisters have been sentenced to two and a half years in prison each for their role in helping their brother flee the country following his involvement in the murder of an aspiring boxer. Husna Khan, 29, and Farah Khan, 28, were convicted of assisting an offender after they attempted to smuggle their brother, Khayam Khurshid, out of Britain following the tragic killing of 18-year-old Cole Kershaw.
Khurshid, along with two other men, was part of a gang that chased and fatally shot Kershaw in a bungled drive-by shooting in Bury in 2020. After the murder, Khurshid’s sisters devised a plan to help him escape to Pakistan, spending £2,800 on a burner phone, car hire, Eurotunnel tickets, hotel rooms, and one-way flights, according to police reports.
The sisters drove Khurshid across Europe, eventually making their way from Calais to Belgium, where Khurshid was booked on a flight to Islamabad. However, their escape plan unraveled when Khurshid was unable to board the flight due to not having a required COVID test. Shortly afterward, he was apprehended by armed police in Amsterdam, told Lancashire Live.
Khurshid, 32, was later sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Cole Kershaw, alongside accomplices Kamran Mohammed and Mohammed Izaarh Khan. The sisters were arrested and later found guilty of assisting an offender at Manchester Crown Court, leading to their sentencing on Monday.
Police revealed that Husna and Farah Khan played a central role in their brother’s attempted escape, meticulously planning every detail, from booking hotels and hiring a car to crossing the Eurotunnel. Despite their claims that they were simply on a family holiday and unaware of Khurshid’s involvement in the murder, the evidence against them proved otherwise.
Detective Inspector Marc Barker of Greater Manchester Police commented on the case, saying, “This was an extensive investigation, but I am pleased that all those involved in this cowardly attack are now behind bars.” He also highlighted the effectiveness of international law enforcement cooperation, noting that “Khurshid’s arrest in Amsterdam shows that law enforcement’s collective capability is far-reaching, and regardless of the steps you take to evade us, there is no place to hide.” The sentencing of the sisters marks the final chapter in a tragic case that has seen all those involved in the young boxer’s murder brought to justice.