A British family who won a £10 holiday have revealed they were fined £350 for taking their children out of school during term-time.
Simon and Karen Richardson collected vouchers featured in The Sun newspaper in order to pay for a five-day bargain break with their children, nine-year-old Jodie-Ann, seven-year-old Alex, and six-year-old-Aiden, as it was the only way they could afford to go away.
The Richardsons opted to book the holiday for before mid-term break, as booking it during the school holidays would have hiked up the price considerably.
In a move which has come back to bite them, the couple went ahead with the trip as planned, believing that the maximum fine they would have to pay out for taking their kids out of school during term-time would be £60.
Now, they are being fined £350 for taking all three children out of school, and have been given 28 days to do so or it will be doubled. If the Richardsons refuse to pay, they could face a fine of up to £2,500 and a three-month prison sentence.
A worried Mrs Richardson told local media: “I am concerned we won’t be able to pay the fine, and worried court action could jeopardise my husband’s job as an electrician visiting local schools.”
The local council has stood by its action against the couple, while the school in question, East-the-Water Community Primary School in Devon, has refused to comment.
