A FATHER has appeared in court for failing to get two of his children to attend school.

Ian Taylor was given a two-year community rehabilitation order after he was found guilty of failing to send his 14-year-old daughter, Laura, to school.

He also pleaded guilty to failing to send another daughter, six-year-old Bethany, to school.

Teesside Magistrates' Court heard that the single father tried unsuccessfully to get Laura to attend school, and relations between the pair had now broken down to such an extent that she was living with friends.

Between September 10 last year and March 10, Laura attended Blaketon Secondary School, in Stockton, for 45 half-days out of 220. Of the 175 sessions she missed, all were unauthorised.

Bethany's figures showed that between November 19 last year and May 19, she attended St John the Baptist School on 113 occasions out of a possible 202. Of the sessions missed, 22 were authorised and 67 unauthorised.

Tahira Bourchier, representing Stockton Borough Council, told the hearing: "Every support has been given, but Mr Taylor has failed to secure their attendance and, subsequently, they have not received the level of education they need."

Denis Chisman, in mitigation, said 39-year-old Taylor, of Doncaster Crescent, Stockton, had tried his best to get his children to school.

He said: "He was actually taking Laura to school and dropping her off at the gates of the school and there was no evidence to contradict that.

"He subsequently discovered she had not gone to school. It is fairly obvious he did take certain steps to try and avert the position we are in today with court proceedings."

Magistrates chairwoman Joyce Bedford said: "We have looked at the harm to the children, and the result of that harm is a lack of education, which will affect their future.

"There was a lack of co-operation with authority and a lack of co-operation to get the children to school."

After the hearing, Stockton Borough Council said that court proceedings were only brought as a last resort.