The case was heard at the magistrates court in Llanelli

The woman from Llanelli - who was sentenced to 28 days' imprisonment - is thought to be the first parent in Wales to be imprisoned under tough new truancy rules.

She was jailed by magistrates on Monday following action taken by Carmarthenshire County Council under the Education Act because her son had failed to attend any lessons at his comprehensive for three months.

We welcome the sentence and we are very grateful to the magistrates in Llanelli for their support Welfare officer Charles Thomas

The woman's solicitor David Elvy said an application to appeal the sentence will be lodged on Tuesday.

"This mother refused to respond to any kind of help," said Carmarthenshire education welfare officer Charles Thomas.

"It was a very serious offence. There has been a 100% non attendance rate for the last 12 weeks.

"We welcome the sentence and we are very grateful to the magistrates in Llanelli for their support."

Mr Thomas and his colleagues would now start discussions with other family members to ensure the teenager returns to school after the Easter holidays.

"There is a huge amount of support available to parents and we do explore all options before resorting to prosecution," he added.

"But we need to make sure pupils are in school. Their education is being damaged if they are absent.

Patricia Amos was jailed for 60 days

The prosecution comes just a week after a mother from Cambridge was given a six-week sentence for failing to send her 16-year-old son to school.

And in May last year, 43-year-old Patricia Amos from Oxfordshire, was jailed for 60 days after she failed to stop her children playing truant.

As far as Carmarthenshire's executive board member for education Mary Thomas is concerned, cases such as this could become more commonplace.

She insists that the authority would not hesitate to prosecute other parents whose children repeatedly miss lessons.

And she said regular truancy sweeps are being held right across the county.

Joint patrols with the police have been carried out in Carmarthen, Llanelli, Ammanford, Llandeilo, Llandovery and Newcastle Emlyn this year.

"The council is committed to monitoring and acting on unauthorised absences from schools," said Councillor Thomas.

"It is vital that children attend school to receive the best possible education."

But a parents' group set-up to campaign against the new truancy laws has condemned the prison sentence.

Louise Harvey, who is spokeswoman for the group Parents Against Truancy Court Orders, said: "Our reaction is one of horror that another parent has been sent to prison.

"If that teenager had not been to school for 12 weeks then surely that is a signal that something has gone wrong.

"What is needed is support from the school and the local education authority to address that rather than a prison sentence."