Truancy mother allowed home

The case was heard at Llanelli magistrates court

A Llanelli mother who has spent two weeks in jail after her daughter played truant has been given a six month community rehabilitation order.

The 37-year-old woman was remanded in custody on 13 September for failing to keep appointments with the probation service.

But at a hearing at Llanelli magistrates on Monday she was released.

The court heard her daughter, 16, was now old enough to no longer have to attend classes.

This will give you the chance to make good by placing you under the supervision of a probation officer Bryn Davies

The woman, who cannot be named, was convicted last year of failing to send her daughter to school but breached a community punishment order.

But she failed to keep appointments with probation officers and competed just 47 of the 100 hours punishment.

She was remanded in custody two weeks ago, becoming the third parent in Carmarthenshire to end up in jail over truancy related offences.

Magistrates said on Monday they were following the recommendations of a pre-sentence report.

Chairman of the bench Bryn Davies said: "Taking into account your daughter is passed the school leaving age and having read the pre-sentence report we have decided on a six month community rehabilitation order.

"This will give you the chance to make good by placing you under the supervision of a probation officer."

In April 2003 the mother of a 14-year-old Llanelli boy was jailed for 12 days, the first to be given such a punishment in Wales.

Earlier this year another woman from the Amman Valley was sentenced to 28 days after admitting she was in breach of a 12 month conditional discharge for her children's non-attendance at school.