The teenager failed to attend any lessons in one academic year

Nicola Dunk, 32, of Bristol Gardens, Brighton, was jailed for two months after her son, Andre, failed to turn up to school for an entire academic year.

She was freed at Hove Crown Court after Judge Guy Anthony said it would be difficult to force her son to school.

Restrictions on naming the mother and son were lifted to act as a deterrent.

Attendance 'still poor'

The judge reduced her jail sentence from two months to six weeks to allow Dunk to be released immediately.

He said the boy, who is now 16 years old, was clearly not interested in going to school and it would be difficult for a mother to force her bigger, stronger son to attend lessons.

At the end of the hearing the judge lifted reporting restrictions as a warning to others.

The teenager had failed to attend a single lesson during the 2003 to 2004 year at the Brighton College of Media Arts.

Dunk was originally convicted by Brighton magistrates.

The court was told Andre now lives with his grandmother in the Midlands where his school attendance was still poor.