Second sister is facing a jail term
Sep 19 2008 by Neil Mckay, The Journal
TWO North East sisters could make unwanted history by becoming the first in Britain to be jailed for allowing their children to miss school, a court warned yesterday.
Christine Davison, 40, was jailed for six weeks in July for her fifth offence of failing to send children Jason, 15, and Sarah, 16, to Roseberry Sports and Community College in Chester-le-Street, County Durham.
And yesterday, magistrates warned they were considering imposing a similar sentence on her sister Linda, 41, again for her fifth offence of failing to send son Mark, 13, to the same school.
Linda Davison, of Congburn View, Pelton Fell, failed to attend Consett magistrates Court for the seventh time to answer the charge yesterday.
But her solicitor, Alistair Graham, who told the court she was in hospital in Durham suffering from high blood pressure, pleaded guilty on his client’s behalf.
And when chairman of the bench Wendy Clark heard it was the fifth time Davison had been convicted for the same offence, she warned: “We are looking at custody, which could be in the region of six weeks.”
Caroline Sinclair, prosecuting on behalf of Durham County Council, said Davison’s son had only attended school on 52 out of a possible 162 sessions between November 2007 and April this year.
She said on occasions Davison had told the school her son was ill and unable to attend, but had been seen with him later the same day in Chester-le-Street town centre.
Mrs Sinclair said Davison had been “totally uncooperative” with education officials, and had been abusive to a school nurse and to social workers.
She added that Davison had “fabricated illnesses and kept Mark off for six weeks with a tummy bug.”
The case was adjourned for sentencing until October 9.
Christine Davison, 40, of Third Avenue, Chester-le-Street, was also convicted in her absence two months ago of failing to send her two children to school.
A warrant was issued for her arrest and when she appeared before Consett magistrates, she became one of the first parents in the North East to be jailed for such an offence, on July 31.
Court chairman Gary Walker told Christine: “We have looked at the history and you have four previous convictions for which you were given different orders.
“They have had no effect. You have failed to comply and we feel that only a custodial sentence is appropriate.”
We are looking at custody, which could be in the region of six weeks
