Kerry Katona fined £500 for not sending her child to school

Kerry Katona has been fined £500 after pleading guilty to failing to send one of her five children to school.

The former Atomic Kitten signer didn’t appear in court today, but the plea was made on her behalf this morning. She previously denied the charge at Brighton and Hove Magistrates Court earlier this year.

Katona had been charged with failing to ensure that one of her five children attended school regularly between April 2018 and November 2018.

The court heard that Katona failed to attend meeting with the school about her child’s attendance, and that she became overwhelmed by a number of letters to which she didn’t respond. At the lowest point, her child’s attendance was down to 48%.

Katona’s defence claimed that Katona was sometimes unable to get her child to school due to her work commitments.

He defence, Ed Fish said: “Some of the time, Miss Katona has contacted the school and some of the time, she has not. The child has missed school sometimes due to work commitments when Miss Katona has been out of the school area and has no child care.”

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Fish added: “She has not had childcare and has had to take her children with her. She understands she should have maintained better contact with the school. Her financial situation is not great. She was subject to bankruptcy. She is anxious to provide for her children.”

Gareth Jones, prosecuting on behalf of the education authority, said: “Miss Katona met with council and discussed the importance of her child attending school. Unfortunately attendance got worse and went down to 48 per cent. We wanted to make it clear how important it is that the child attends school.”

This is the second time Katona has been charged with the same offence, after taking her family on holiday to Barbados in 2017 and failing to pay a fine.