AN ISLE of Wight couple has been slapped with hefty fines for "failing to regularly send" their ten-year-old child to school - when they missed a week of education.

The pair, from Ventnor, faced a single charge of being a parent of a child of compulsory school age registered at a school who failed to attend regularly, between April 17 and April 21 of last year.

Their case was heard at the Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, April 4.

They were both fined £440 and ordered to pay costs of £50 and a £176 surcharge.

Local councils and schools can use various legal powers if a child is missing school without good reason.

The Isle of Wight Council can give each parent a fine of £60, which rises to £120 if you do not pay within 21 days.

If you do not pay the fine after 28 days, you may be prosecuted for your child’s absence from school.

If prosecuted, you could get a fine of up to £2,500, a community order or a jail sentence of up to three months.