Telford couple fined for term-time family holiday
A Telford couple who took their children on holiday during school-term time without authorisation were today ordered by magistrates to pay £993 in costs and fines.
Parents Stewart and Natasha Sutherland from Trench, appeared at Telford Magistrates' Court after they took their three children aged 15, 13, and six to the Greek island of Rhodes for a week at the end of September last year.
The couple said they hadn’t been able to get leave in the school holidays at the same time for five years and desperately needed a family break.
Under laws which came into effect on September 1, they were fined, but were unwilling to pay and the penalty doubled.
Heads teachers in England were previously able to grant up to 10 days of leave a year for family holidays in "special circumstances". But since 1 September, absence can only be granted in term time except under "exceptional circumstances".
Mr Sutherland, 39, and his 36-year-old wife booked the family trip 11 months before the new legislation came into force.
They were fined £630 and ordered to pay £363 in costs.
