Truant boy hid in shed

Judith Little, 48, admitted failing to ensure her child’s attended school where his attendance slumped such a level he was only going to seven out of 126 sessions – just 5.6 per cent of his classes.

Magistrates sitting at Blackpool Magistrates Court ordered Little, of Waterloo Road, South Shore to pay £215 in fines and costs.

Prosecuting for Blackpool Council, Emma Morgan, told the court that worried educational welfare officers tried numerous ways of getting the young teenager to the town’s Unity Academy.

However he would lock himself in his room and continually play on his computer and X-box.

His mother received letters from the school, there were home visits and a host of phone calls to Mrs Little about her son’s attendance.

Staff even went to pick him up in their own cars.

Mrs Little said: “My son’s life has been turned upside down since his father left home.

“He tried to cover up what he was doing by stealing mail and glueing up the landline phone so it could not get messages.

“Then I found out he was sometimes leaving for school but instead would go to sleep in the garden shed or behind it.

“I would panic and think he had gone missing and ring the police.

“He has told me lies about going to school and has not realised the consequences that would happen to me.”