My husband’s kidnapped our seven-year-old youngster: Torment of mom, 25, who hasn’t seen her son for eight months after his estranged father ‘kidnapped him from faculty and took him to Saudi Arabia’ – as she says youngster ‘visits her in her desires’

At night time, as she sleeps, her seven-year-old son haunts her desires. ‘He is all the time there, with the lengthy darkish curls he had when he was little,’ says Ranem Elkhalidi, 25. ‘His hair is shorter now, however when he comes at night time, that is how I see him.’

What torments her is that she didn’t say she beloved him when she final noticed him. She did not even say goodbye. When Ranem dropped Ibrahim at his major faculty in Frodsham, Cheshire, on Friday, November 11 final yr, she dashed off to inform his instructor that his father can be selecting him up.

‘I did not even give him a hug,’ she says by means of tears.

On Monday morning, at house in Helsby, she acquired a name from his faculty saying her son had not turned up for classes. ‘I requested if they’d telephoned his father. They mentioned his cellphone was out of service.’

Frantic – and sure her ex-husband Hamzah had kidnapped their youngster to take him to his native Saudi Arabia – Ranem rang the police, who promised to analyze. ‘I informed them to go straight to the airport. I felt so helpless as I knew he had gone, and each hour felt like a nightmare,’ she recollects.

Ranem Elkhalidi’s (left) ex-husband Hamzah kidnapped her seven-year-old son Ibrahim (proper) in November final yr

The final time she noticed Ibrahim, she did not even say goodbye – dashing off to inform his instructor that his father can be selecting him up from faculty  

Eight months on, Ranem’s desolation is such that she can’t even bear to enter her son’s bed room with its moneybox, full of kilos to reward good behaviour, and lightbox studying ‘Love you to the moon and again’

‘I cried all day, making an attempt to name Hamzah, however he had blocked my quantity.’

The next day, the police confirmed her worst fears: her ex had taken their son and flown in a foreign country 72 hours earlier.

‘There was part of me making an attempt to work out what I may have performed otherwise – ought to I’ve put a recording system in his bag, to find what his father was considering? However I do know I by no means may have stopped him if that is what he meant to do. I’m making an attempt to not be offended with myself.’

Eight months on, Ranem’s desolation is such that she can’t even bear to enter her son’s bed room with its moneybox, full of kilos to reward good behaviour, and lightbox studying ‘Love you to the moon and again’.

‘I am unable to go in,’ she says quietly. ‘It is too painful, too laborious.’

What angers her is that her plight was foreseeable and preventable. Hamzah picked Ibrahim up from faculty and flew with him to his native Saudi Arabia regardless of the very fact there was a courtroom order in place forbidding him to just do that.

Since they left, Ibrahim’s determined mom has not had any contact with him and doesn’t even know the place he’s dwelling. It’s, as she places it, ‘each mom’s worst nightmare’.

What’s extra, it’s a nightmare with no sign of ending: with no extradition treaty between the UK and Saudi Arabia, Ranem is aware of her probabilities of being reunited along with her son are bleak.

Hamzah picked Ibrahim up from faculty and flew with him to his native Saudi Arabia regardless of the very fact there was a courtroom order in place forbidding him to just do that

When Ibrahim (pictured aged 1 on his birthday) involves Ranem in her desires, she says he has the lengthy darkish curls he had when he was little

It’s a nightmare with no sign of ending: with no extradition treaty between the UK and Saudi Arabia, Ranem (pictured along with her son’s favorite cuddly toy) is aware of her probabilities of being reunited along with her son are bleak

None of this, after all, has stopped Ranem doing every little thing she will be able to to deliver her son – who speaks solely English, not Arabic – again house.

‘I’ll do no matter it takes,’ she informed the Mail yesterday. ‘Each mom would do the identical. England is Ibrahim’s house. He was born right here, grew up right here. He has by no means been to Saudi Arabia earlier than. 

‘He does not know what it seems to be like there, he does not communicate the language. He is with out me, with out his mates, in a spot that he does not know. I take into consideration him each hour of the day, how frightened and misplaced he have to be.’

These feelings are additionally etched her face after we communicate in London. Earlier this month, she travelled down for a gathering with the Overseas Workplace to plead her case with the assistance of her constituency MP Mike Amesbury, who has mentioned he’ll do every little thing in his energy to assist her.

Petite and fairly, the pressure of Ranem’s ongoing battle is nonetheless clear, and she or he confides that she has been taking anti-depressants to attempt to cope. ‘I take into consideration him on a regular basis – I’ve nightmares each night time the place he is outdoors however I am unable to attain him and I get up crying,’ she says.

It’s little consolation that she just isn’t alone. In 2016-2017, the newest yr for which full figures can be found, police in England and Wales recorded greater than 200 offences of parental youngster abduction, with analysis by charity Motion In opposition to Abduction suggesting almost two thirds of instances recorded by police involving the kid being taken overseas. Ibrahim is the fifth youngster to be kidnapped from the UK and brought to Saudi Arabia within the final yr.

Ranem’s case can also be difficult by household circumstances: she too was born in Saudi Arabia and Hamzah – who at 33 is eight years her senior – is her cousin.

Their union was organized between their households when she was simply 15, and her circle of relatives have turned towards her since she selected to divorce.

Again in 2014, nevertheless, she recollects solely pleasure at her imminent marriage, even when it was not a love match. Hamzah, who labored as a instructor in Saudi Arabia, had a scholar visa to check pc science at Liverpool College and was going to deliver his new bride with him.

Ranem is anxious her son is feeling ‘frightened and misplaced’ in a rustic he does not know, and with out his mom and his mates 

Earlier this month, Ranem travelled down for a gathering with the Overseas Workplace to plead her case with the assistance of her constituency MP Mike Amesbury (left), who has mentioned he’ll do every little thing in his energy to assist her

She informed the Mail she is going to do no matter it takes to get her son house to England from Saudi Arabia

The newlyweds arrived in late 2014 and Ranem – who recollects being so enthusiastic about dwelling in England however shocked by the chilly British winter – was granted residence on the idea of her husband’s visa.

On arrival, she opted to check English at an area school, however inside two years, aged simply 17, she was pregnant.

Ibrahim arrived on March 18, 2016 – three days after his mom’s 18th birthday – and Ranem beams as she recollects falling immediately in love along with her son.

‘He was simply so cute,’ she smiles. ‘I took so many movies of him, and I could not cease him.’

She smiles too, as she recollects how her son wouldn’t sleep till she sang to him, or her battle to get him to sleep in his personal cot, and never her mattress.

‘I keep in mind the midwife telling me off, saying he wanted to sleep individually. However he was simply so beautiful, such a contented child,’ she says.

Her marriage was not fairly so content material: Hamzah didn’t just like the restrictions of fatherhood.

‘He was a controlling individual, and he was aggravated by fatherhood and by the lack of freedom,’ she says. ‘It irritated him that we didn’t have household close by we may go away Ibrahim with. Even after I was pregnant he by no means confirmed he was excited.’

Ibrahim was born on March 18, 2016 – three days after his mom’s 18th birthday – and Ranem says she immediately fell in love along with her son

However whereas she desperately beloved her son, Ranem’s marriage was not fairly so content material: Hamzah didn’t just like the restrictions of fatherhood

In 2017, along with her union already on shaky floor, Ranem utilized for refugee standing right here, conscious that her papers had been depending on these of her husband – however now she can’t go away the nation after handing over her passport

In 2017, along with her union already on shaky floor, Ranem utilized for refugee standing right here, conscious that her papers had been depending on these of her husband.

That call would reverberate down the years: as a part of her software, Ranem handed over her passport and was given English journey paperwork as a substitute, that means she can’t go away the nation.

This was all forward of her although: in these early years, Ranem was enchanted to be a mum. ‘I used to be so younger, and studying as I went alongside, however it was thrilling,’ she recollects. ‘I took him to a non-public nursery so he would communicate English. He beloved it. He was a sociable boy and as quickly as he met new youngsters he preferred to play with them.’

Her eyes develop moist as she recollects how a lot he beloved his toy automobiles and monster vans in addition to soccer. ‘He beloved taking part in and went to a bit of membership in Warrington,’ she says.

However by 2021, with Ibrahim now 5, the conjugal relationship had deteriorated, and in summer season that yr Ranem mentioned she wished a divorce.

‘I mentioned I do not wish to proceed collectively – and that is when he turned nasty,’ she says quietly. ‘I attempted to remain however after one month I could not take any extra and I left.’

Ranem used the cash from her personal scholar mortgage – given to fund her psychology and vitamin course at Liverpool Hope college – to lease her personal place in Warrington, however says she was adamant that she would share entry to her son.

‘I informed Hamzah he may see him often. However he was so offended I had left,’ she says tearfully. ‘One of many first issues he did was to chop off Ibrahim’s lengthy curls as he knew how a lot I beloved them,’ she says.

By 2021, when Ibrahim was 5, the conjugal relationship had deteriorated and in summer season that yr Ranem mentioned she wished a divorce

When she left Hamzah lower off Ibrahim’s lengthy curls as a result of he knew how a lot she beloved them

Regardless of this rancour, Ranem says she labored laborious to attempt to be certain that Ibrahim noticed his father often, though over time turned involved by what she calls ‘brainwashing’.

‘One time I went to select him up from Hamzah’s and he would not open the door,’ she recollects. ‘I may hear him saying to Ibrahim, ‘don’t be concerned the police are going to return and get your mum’. Ibrahim was scared, I used to be speaking to him by means of the door making an attempt to reassure him.’

Ibrahim would additionally inform her that his father repeatedly informed him that someday it will ‘simply be you and me’.

By early final yr, relations had change into extra poisonous, with Hamzah selecting to combat for full custody. ‘I attempted to point out the decide within the case that it was pointless, that I used to be completely happy to present him equal entry,’ she recollects. ‘I additionally mentioned I anxious that he would attempt to take him to Saudi Arabia.’

Ranem was definitely involved sufficient to make a request to the Saudi embassy that they not concern her son a passport, in addition to looking for a courtroom order stopping him from taking her son in a foreign country.

That order – referred to as a ‘prohibited steps’ order, was granted in Liverpool Household Court docket on November 3, 2022.

Simply 9 days later, Hamzah broke the phrases, flying with Ibrahim from Manchester Airport to the Saudi port metropolis of Jeddah. He had obtained journey documentation for his son from the Saudi embassy. ‘It’s a large query for me, regardless of the courtroom order, why he was allowed in a foreign country,’ she says. ‘That could be a failure someplace.’

What she has tried to do is combat – a combat that has proved horribly futile up to now. Whereas a number of courtroom orders have been issued demanding that Hamzah return his son to the UK, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest on youngster abduction fees, the fact is that the authorized system has no jurisdiction over somebody who’s a Saudi nationwide now he’s outdoors our borders.

Early final yr, the pair’s relations had change into extra poisonous, and Hamzah selecting to combat Ranem for full custody

However Ranem says the Overseas Workplace nonetheless say there may be nothing they’ll do – and her final hope is that the Residence Workplace could intervene

Furthermore, regardless of being born and solely ever having lived within the UK, Ibrahim’s refugee standing means he’s ineligible for consular help.

It’s the purpose Ranem travelled to London for her assembly with the Overseas Workplace, as a part of a determined bid to see if they may concern her son with a British passport.

It was to no avail. ‘They mentioned there was nothing they’ll do,’ she says, her voice cracking.

Her hope now could be that the Residence Workplace could intervene – a want shared by Mr Amesbury, who final month raised Ranem’s plight within the Commons with Overseas Secretary James Cleverly.

‘The state of affairs is difficult given there isn’t any authorized association with the Saudi authorities, so it’s a case of making use of diplomatic stress,’ he informed the Mail. ‘We’ve sturdy ties with the Saudi authorities and it is about making an attempt to claim that affect.

‘The notion by the Saudi authorities is that he [Ibrahim] is a Saudi citizen, however he is a Mancunian and as British as I’m – and in the end my job as a constituency MP is to see a boy who was born in the identical metropolis as me, and the identical hospital as my very own son, introduced house to his mum.’

No matter occurs there isn’t a query that Ranem will ever surrender. How may she, when not a minute goes by when she doesn’t consider her son, hundreds of miles away?

‘I’ll do every little thing I can to deliver Ibrahim again to the place he ought to be,’ she says. ‘And that’s right here with me within the nation that’s his house.’