Father loses landmark case

A FATHER has said he is “relieved” a long-running case brought by a council for taking his daughter out of school for a holiday is over.

Jon Platt was found guilty of a breach of school rules, given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £2,000 costs plus a £20 surcharge at a court on the Isle of Wight.

He said: “This has gone on far too long and far too much money has been spent on it by me and the taxpayer.”

Platt said he has spent close to £30,000 on fighting the case, with additional funds covered by legal aid.

The Government spent close to £140,000 pursuing the legal action. Platt said the case could see many parents criminalised for the 8.5 million “unauthorised absences” from English schools.