Police release details on investigation into abduction of Sheffield toddler

Details of the police investigation into the abduction of a Sheffield toddler have been released for the first time.
By Claire Lewis
Published 10th Jul 2019, 07:35 BST
Updated 10th Jul 2019, 07:35 BST
Cole Saheb was abducted by his father in March last yearCole Saheb was abducted by his father in March last year
Cole Saheb was abducted by his father in March last year

Cole Saheb, from Fox Hill, was 20 months old when he was snatched by his father and taken to Iran.

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The youngster, who turns three on Friday, was on a contact visit with his father when he was taken out of the country without his mum’s consent.

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Cole’s heartbroken mum, Tina Kayani, 40, has received some photographs of her son via WhatsApp messages since he was abducted, but her ex – Farokh Mahmodpour Saheb, 39 – has warned her that she will not see their son again until he is 18.

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He refuses to tell her where they are living and is also refusing to co-operate with British court proceedings as Tina desperately fights for her son to be returned to the UK. 

Farokh, who was known as ‘Freddie’ during the 15 years he spent in South Yorkshire, used to work at the Godfather takeaway on Upwell Street, Grimesthorpe, Sheffield, and at Kebab and Pizza House in Swinton, Rotherham.

He was in a relationship with Tina for six years before Cole was conceived but left Sheffield before he was born when they broke up.

He returned to Sheffield when Cole was four months old and was granted contact with his son via the courts.

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Tina reported her son’s abduction to South Yorkshire Police on the day he disappeared and local MP Gill Furniss is aware of the case and has a meeting with the minister of state at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office next week.

South Yorkshire Police said Farokh said: “On March 16, 2018, South Yorkshire Police received a report a one-year-old boy had been abducted and taken out of the country. “Border checks were conducted and it was discovered the boy had been taken to Iran.

“The person responsible, Farokh Mahmodpour Saheb, was circulated as wanted and known associates have been contacted to obtain further information.  “In May 2018, the incident was referred to the Foreign Commonwealth Office.”

Anyone with information should call South Yorkshire Police on 101.