A WOMAN appeared in court yesterday accused of failing to ensure her daughter attended school.

The 15-year-old daughter of Lesley Fountain, also known as Ann Madden, failed to attend Blackfyne Community School in Consett, County Durham, from the start of the academic year in September to the end of last term, on March 18.

Mrs Madden accepted that her daughter, Melanie, had failed to attend school, but said she had "tried everything" to get her to go.

Durham magistrates refused to accept that as a plea and the hearing was adjourned to allow Mrs Madden, 46, of Medomsley Road, Consett, to seek legal advice before returning on Friday, May 6, to make her plea.

Should she deny the charge, a trial will be staged before magistrates on Monday, May 23.

She could face a £2,500 fine or a three-month prison sentence.

In a previous case, a mother from Newton Aycliffe became the first in the county to be jailed for failing to ensure her child attended school. A ten-day sentence was imposed by magistrates in Bishop Auckland in February for the women's failure to send her son to a secondary school.

Speaking at the time, Councillor Neil Foster, the county council cabinet member for education, said taking parents to court was "a last resort".

He said the authority has a responsibility under the Education Act to prosecute parents.