Newlywed parents who took their young daughter out of school to go on honeymoon in New York have been given cautions.
Janine and Shane Scott took their eight-year-old daughter Elissa on the £3,000 dream holiday in the belief that head teacher Kerry Coe would grant time off on the grounds of 'exceptional circumstances'.
But when they returned they were slapped with £60 fixed penalty notices and taken to court, Teeside Live reports
They both appeared at Teesside Magistrates' Court in November facing the possibility of criminal records.
However, they were given the option of accepting a caution and paying a "contribution" to Stockton Council.
The case was adjourned on December 7 to give Janine and Shane time to decide whether they wanted to accept the council's offer or carry on fighting the court case.
The prosecution said they were “not heartless” and the magistrate advised them a caution “would be best”.
Officials have now confirmed they accepted the offer and "paid legal costs" to the council - the amount was not revealed in court.
Stockton Council would not divulge the amount the couple paid.
Janine, 28, previously said: “This was a once-in-a-lifetime trip. I fully support regular attendance but it was our honeymoon."
She said the £3,000 trip paid for by wedding guests was “meaningful” and educational, with trips to the 9/11 memorial, Broadway, the National History Museum and Wall Street.
Janine said: “The headteacher told us that she only gives permission in exceptional circumstances, and she felt this still did not meet that.
“If Elissa had autism, then she could take a quieter period of time out of school holidays. She could go if she was a foster child and recently changed homes, had suffered trauma or a family bereavement, or for a religious holiday.
“She has only ever been off through illness, but you have to have evidence of that, so if you don’t have a GP note that does not count as authorised either.
“Sometimes if she was given an antibiotic the school would photocopy the label and accept that.”
Shane, 27, said: “It is absolutely scandalous. Elissa goes to Bella Italia, the park and local supermarket on school trips.
“I know they need a deterrent for regular absences, but that is not the case here. It is a punishment, and a disgrace."
Elissa’s attendance record at St John’s Church of England Primary School in Stockton-on-Tees was 92.5% in 2017.
The Government's website says that children may be given time off school in term time if an application is made to the headteacher and there are 'exceptional circumstances' - but it doesn't define what exceptional circumstances could be.
