A mother was today behind bars for failing to send her teenage daughter to school.
Romaine Sabini, also known as Peacock, 42, of Cambridge Road, Southend, has been locked up for four weeks by Southend magistrates.
Her daughter Lois, 15, was in tears when District Judge Kevin Gray passed sentence and is today believed to be staying with an aunt.
Sabini pleaded guilty to the offence under the Education Act 1996 after her daughter failed to regularly attend St Bernard's Roman Catholic School in Westcliff.
The school register showed that between January 7 and June 28 last year, Lois only attended four out of a possible 204 sessions.
Rebecca Atkinson, solicitor for Southend Borough Council which brought the prosecution, told the court the Education Welfare Service had been involved with the family since 2001 making home visits, telephone calls, letters and arranging meetings with professionals.
She said officers failed to find any reason for the non-attendance and tried to arrange meetings with the defendant and daughter.
Sabini has a previous conviction under the Education Act from 2001 when she was sentenced to a 12-month parenting order.
In mitigation, Ann Blyth-Cook said her client suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and needed medication.
She added Lois had since moved to Crown College, in North Road, Westcliff, where she was attending regularly and doing well.
In sentencing, Mr Gray said he believed she would not go along with any non-custodial punishment.
Published Tuesday, January 7, 2003
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