Sisters face jail for allowing children to miss school » Education » 24dash.com

Two sisters could make unwanted history by becoming the first in Britain to be jailed for allowing their children to miss school.

Christine Davison, 40, was jailed for six weeks in July for her fifth offence of failing to send her two children to school.

Magistrates warned they were considering imposing a similar sentence on her sister Linda Davison, 42, again for her fifth offence of failing to send her son to school.

Today Davison, of Congburn View, Pelton Fell, failed to attend North Durham Magistrates Court, sitting in Consett, for the ninth time in this case.

At a previous hearing - also in her absence - her solicitor Alistair Graham pleaded guilty on Davison's behalf to a charge of failing to send her son to school.

The court heard that Davison's son Mark, 13, had only attended Roseberry Sports and Community College in Chester-le-Street on 52 out of a possible 162 sessions between November 2007 and April this year.

Mr Graham said his client was in hospital receiving treatment for an on-going "serious health problem" and had been admitted by doctors.

"My understanding from talking to her is that the consultant is trying to work out the correct medication and dosage," he told magistrates.

Prosecutor Nicola Bowman, representing Durham County Council, applied for an arrest warrant for her failure to attend court.

Miss Bowman claimed that Davison repeatedly hospitalises herself to avoid court but failed to provide any evidence to support the assertion.

"This is the fourth time I am aware of," she said.

Mr Graham said his client had complied with the Probation Service's preparation of a pre-sentence report, which included a custody option of up to six weeks' imprisonment.

He added: "It would be quite wrong for you to issue a warrant for someone who is in hospital."

Kevin Radford, chairman of the bench, rejected the warrant application.

"We have listened carefully to the representations and on this occasion we are not going to issue a warrant without bail," he said.

"On this occasion she was hospitalised on the advice of her consultant.
However, we also note this is at least the ninth occasion this matter has been before the courts."

Adjourning the case until October 20, Mr Radford added: "We say that if Miss Davison does not turn up we will have to consider very carefully whether we issue that warrant that was requested."

Davison's sister, Christine, of Third Avenue, Chester-le-Street, was also convicted in her absence of failing to send her two children, Jason, 15, and Sarah, 16, to the same school.