Local father Jon Platt has been ordered to pay £2,000 and has been given a criminal record after being found guilty of taking his daughter on holiday as an unauthorised absence from school at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court today (Friday).
The same court previously declared that Mr Platt had ‘no case to answer’, but following a long legal battle – which has cost the taxpayer over £140,000 – he has been found guilty of failing to ensure his daughter attended school regularly.
The continuing argument has been over the term ‘regular’ and what that actually means. The case went to the highest court in the land and back again.
Mr Platt was today handed a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £2,000 in costs. To date the case has coast him at least £25,000 – after he decided to not pay a £60 fine.
