A MOTHER who told magistrates her teenage son ‘simply refuses’ to go to school has been slapped with a fine for his ‘poor’ attendance record.
Unemployed Kathleen Harvey, of Clays Lane, Branston, appeared at Burton Magistrates’ Court to plead guilty to failing to ensure her son, Liam, regularly attends school.
The 34-year-old was issued with a letter warning her she could face a fixed penalty charge unless Liam Bramble attended school for 20 days consecutively after the letter was served on February 18.
Up until the letter was received the 13- year-old’s attendance stood at 58 per cent and he had missed 84 sessions between February 28 andMarch 25.
After the warning Liam, who is supposed to attend Robert Sutton Catholic Sports College, attended 20 out of 40 sessions.
A fixed penalty notice was served in May, since then Liam had failed to return to the Stapenhill school at all.
Lucy Daniels, a prosecuting solicitor for Staffordshire County Council, said: “Liam hasn’t been back to school since his mother was given the penalty charge. His overall attendance dropped by 40 per cent.”
Harvey, who has another child aged five, told the court she has tried everything to get Liam to go to school.
She added: “I admit he hasn’t been going to school — he simply refuses. We have taken his stuff off him to try tomake him go but he doesn’t listen. I don’t think he realised something like going to court would happen until it did.
“He just won’t leave the house. The educational welfare team got involved and he kept making promises to go — but he never does.”
Magistrate, Tony Winterton, said: “Your son’s records are very poor. It is your responsibility to make sure he goes and you’re going to have to try something else to get him to go.
“We are sentencing you for a small period but you will probably find yourself back before the courts because he hasn’t been back to school once since you were handed the fixed penalty notice.”
Harvey was handed a £100 fine and made to pay £50 in costs and a £15 victim surcharge fee.
The fine was consolidated with her existing court fines after she failed to pay for a television licence.
Liam’s father James Bramble, of Cross Street, failed to attend the hearing and his case was adjourned in his absence until 2pm on September 13.
