Couple fined for taking children on holiday during term time

The father who took his three children on holiday during time and was subsequently fined almost £1,000 said outside court that if the whole country took their holidays during the school holidays then the whole country would "come to a standstill".

A father who was fined £630 after taking his three children on holiday during school term time has said the decision had nothing to do with saving money on out-of-season fares.

Stewart Sutherland, from Telford, told ITV News Central that he feels angry and bitter:

Read more here.

Parents Stewart and Natasha Sutherland have been fined a total of £630 for taking their children on holiday during term time without authorisation. They will have to pay a total of £993 including costs and a victim surcharge.

Read: Parents due in court over term time holiday fine

A couple from Telford could face jail after taking their three children on an unauthorised holiday during school term time and refusing to pay the subsequent fine.

Stewart and Natasha Sutherland were initially given a fine of £360, that they refused to pay, which then doubled to £720 after 21 days.

Under the new guidelines introduced last year, any parent that knows their "child is failing to attend regularly at the school and fails without reasonable justification to cause him to do so" is liable on conviction to:

• A fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale (up to £2,500)
• Imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months

Telford & Wrekin Council have issued a statement in relation to the case of a couple taken to court for refusing to pay a fine after taking their children on holiday during school term-time.

A couple are due in court today after taking their three children on an unauthorised holiday to Greece during the school term time and refusing to pay a subsequent fine.

New guidelines introduced last year, under Section 444 of the Education Act, 1996, mean schools are not obliged to give pupils leave during term, except in "exceptional circumstances".

Stewart and Natasha Sutherland were initially given a fine of £360, that they refused to pay, which then doubled to £720 after 21 days.

Mr Sutherland told the Daily Mail: "I informed the school after the summer holidays that we were taking the children out for six days. At that point, I wasn’t even aware of the new legislation.

"We had a letter back warning that as the time off was not authorised we could be fined, but the holiday was already booked and paid for - what could I do?"

In a statement, Telford & Wrekin Council said the school involved had instructed it to issue the fine notice and "legally this has to be done by the Council".

“If the fine is not paid the Council must take further legal steps, as it has in this case".