A MOTHER has revealed that she has been threatened with jail, bailiffs and the sale of her £43,700 Range Rover for taking her children on holidays during term-time.
Whitney Ainscough, 31, a mum from Rotherham in South Yorkshire, jetted off on three family holidays during school time last year with her partner and three children, Cora Bentley, 12, Addison Squires, seven, and Adley Christopher, three.
An angry mother has revealed that not only has she been fined for taking her kids on holiday during term-time, but she’s now been threatened with jail[/caption]
Whitney Ainscough, 31, has also been threatened with the sale of her £43,700 Range Rover[/caption]
But Whitney argued that as their trip to Disneyland Paris was only a day, it shouldn’t be included in the complaint[/caption]
For their £5,000 trip to Cyprus in June last year, the children missed five days of school, before missing a further five days when they went to Zante on an £8,000 trip the following month.
Whitney then took her brood to Disneyland Paris on a day trip she insisted was “educational”.
The self-professed ‘bad mum’, who recently appeared on London’s LBC radio to defend herself after receiving a single justice procedure notice outlining that she is being charged under Section 444 (1) of the Education Act 1996, has now shared the latest development in her case.
After telling the radio interview, “I’ve only been on two holidays within three years,” now, posting on social media, Whitney said: “So I have received a letter from the Magistrate’s Court.
“So I sent the letter back and I stated that obviously I was guilty. I am guilty of taking my kids on holiday, obviously, yeah I did take them.
“Anyway, so I received a letter. I’m a bit confused, I don’t know whether this is a letter in response to what I’ve said, I’m gonna guess that it is, but anyway it says I’ve got to pay a fine.
“So the fine is £220, the victim [surcharge] is £88, who’s the victim?! Is my child the victim for going on holiday? Does she get the £88?
“And then cost of £75, so a total of £383 that I must pay.”
Whitney, who owns a white Range Rover Evoque, which costs from £43,7000, continued to read the letter that was addressed to her, as she added: “Failure to pay will make you liable for further enforcement action unless you pay the full balance immediately.
“This could include a warrant of control being issued to the enforcement agents to take control of your goods, a warrant for your arrest to return you to court, increasing your fine by 50%, clamping, removal or sale of your vehicle.”
Not only this, but Whitney claimed that the letter also read: “If these sanctions are being imposed [and] your fine remains outstanding, the court may order that you are imprisoned.”
Following this, Whitney confirmed: “So basically, what I’m gonna do is I’m just gonna pay it, £383, and then I hope that’s it and they leave me alone.
What school fines can parents receive?
THE main issue that can lead to parents receiving a fine is missing school.
Currently, it’s the decision of the local council whether or not to issue a parent a fine for their child missing school.
However, from August this year, the fine for absences will up to the school to consider – when a child has missed 10 or more sessions for unauthorised reasons.
And the fine will be £80 if paid within 21 days, or £160 if paid within 28 days – this is issued to EACH parent.
It’s the first time the fine has been increased since 2012, and is in line with inflation.
If a parent receives a second fine for the same child within three years, this will automatically be charged at the higher rate of £160.
Fines will be capped at two fines within a three-year period.
After this limit has been reached, prosecution or a parenting order may be considered.
According to the official government website, there are only five reasons your child should be absent from school if the school is open.
These are as follows:
- Your child is too ill to attend that day
- You have asked in advance and been given permission by the school for your child to be absent on that day due to exceptional circumstances
- Your child cannot attend school on that day because it is a day you are taking part in religious observance
- Your local authority is responsible for arranging your child’s transport to school and it is not available on that day or has not been provided yet
- You are a gypsy/traveller family with no fixed abode, and you are required to travel for work that day meaning your child cannot attend their usual school
“Who’s the victim though? I want to know who the victim is.
“But anyway that best for the end of it now.”
Big divide
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @itsmebadmom, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it was posted just seven hours ago, but has quickly racked up 68,300 views.
But social media users were left totally divided by Whitney’s clip – whilst many thought she deserved the fine for breaking the rules, others were in disbelief and didn’t think it was fair.
Take your punishment with the ease you take your kids on holiday in school time
TikTok user
One person simply said: “Karma.”
Another asked: “Why would you not just pay in the first place? We know the school system, it’s no surprise they sent a fine out for a holiday lol.”
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A third commented: “The vast majority of parents will not have to deal with this. It’s so easy, don’t break the rules. Take your punishment with the ease you take your kids on holiday in school time.”
Meanwhile, one mother slammed: “It’s ridiculous, you should be able to take YOUR children on holiday.”
Absolute joke, can’t bear this corrupt country
TikTok user
A second agreed: “That’s disgusting, us mothers should be able to take our kids on holiday.”
Whilst someone else chimed in: “Absolute joke, can’t bear this corrupt country.”
Whitney’s punishment
Section 444 (1) of the Education Act 1996 states that if a child of compulsory school age who is a registered pupil at a school fails to attend regularly at school, their parent is guilty of an offence.
A person charged with the offence has to prove they had a ‘reasonable justification’ for their child’s failure to attend regularly at the school.
I want to take my kids out and experience the world
Whitney Ainscough
When justifying her decision to take her little darlings abroad during term-time, Whitney told host Tom Swarbrick: “I think it is really unfair. It is unfair.
“But they’re my kids. Right, they’re my kids.
“They’re not the government’s kids.”
Not only this, but she insisted: “I want to take my kids out and experience the world…
“I could leave them at home with family, happily.
“But I don’t want to take my kids out of that. I want to bring them with me, you know?”
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Social media users were left hugely divided by Whitney’s punishment[/caption]
