A mother from Stoke-on-Trent has been slapped with a court fine after her child was taken out of primary school for a term-time holiday. The parent, who cannot be identified due to legal reasons, explained that she decided to travel abroad as her daughter needed a break following a diagnosis of a health condition.

North Staffordshire Justice Centre was informed that the family encountered delays in their return journey, missing their flight due to a company going bankrupt. This resulted in the girl having to take an additional two days off from her Stoke-on-Trent school in June 2024.

The mother claimed she had tried to settle the £60 fixed penalty notice online. However, the court was told that the payment had not been processed.

She explained to the magistrates: "I'm dyslexic and I didn't realise you had to press a confirmation. The dates included school holidays - she was only absent from school a few days."

"I cannot be held responsible for a transfer company not picking me up. I spent every penny I had to get home "I have total respect for the law. But I felt my child needed a break with her family after all she had been through."

The court was informed that this absence was a one-off incident and the girl's attendance record for the current school year stood at 87 per cent. The mother had submitted a request for leave of absence in January 2024, to cover the period between May 23 and June 7, for a family holiday.

A mother has been slapped with a £60 penalty by the courts and must cough up an additional £24 surcharge. Presiding magistrate Philip Taylor pointed out: "You did try to make payment, but the responsibility is with you to make sure payment has gone through."

In an unrelated matter on Monday, a different mother incurred a hefty £660 fine following her daughter's disappearance from school between June 5 and 13, 2024, Stoke on Trent Live reports. Absent at the North Staffordshire Justice Centre hearing, her case was processed in her absence.

The bench was informed that the school had tried reaching out to the family on June 5 without success. A follow-up call the next day was met with an international ringtone, after which the mother rang back to explain they were overseas for a wedding.

Prior to this period of absenteeism, the pupil's attendance record stood at 85 percent, the courtroom heard. The Stoke-on-Trent parent has also been ordered to disburse a £264 surcharge and cover the local authority costs amounting to £92.78.