A mum has been electronically tagged for failing to make sure her children attend school regularly – and been told she faces prison if it happens again.

The unnamed mother of two pupils at a school in Redruth appeared before magistrates in Truro, where she pleaded guilty to the offence.

It is not the first time that she has appeared in court over their unauthorised absences; in January last year she was fined £530 for the same offence.

Now she has been given a six-month community order and placed under curfew from 8pm to 7am, seven days a week, for a period of six weeks.

She must also take part in a Children and Families Rehabilitation Programme.

Magistrates were told that the two children had missed 79 sessions in the last academic year.

The chairman warned the mother that she could face a prison sentence if she appeared before the court again.

Education Welfare Officer at Cornwall Council, Rachel Jarman, said: “We work closely with schools, parents and pupils to ensure that children and young people receive their full educational entitlement.

“This may involve arranging home and school visits to discuss the situation. Prosecution is a last resort when everything else has failed.

“Where parents are finally taken to court for school attendance offences they do run the risk of being fined or sent to prison.”