A SINGLE mum has appeared in court for a second time because of her truanting daughter.

The 31-year-old from the Wrexham area appeared at North East Wales Magistrates Court at Mold and admitted failing to ensure that her daughter attended school regularly.

She had a similar previous convictions dating back to May of last year.

Tim Dillon, prosecuting for Wrexham local education authority, said the 16-year old girl had a 51.8 per cent attendance rate at school between September and November of last year.

She attended school 55 times out of a possible 106.

A letter was sent asking for an explanation and the mother said the girl had been on holiday, but that was not authorised by the school.

She attended a meeting in October and expressed surprise that her daughter was not at school.

The defendant said the girl left for school and it was arranged that she should contact the school each day to check and that text messsages would be sent to her to advice if she had attended.

But following that meeting the girl continued to be absent from school.

She had been advised that medical evidence would be required if she was sick and she had been warned of the prospect of a prosecution.

A further meeting had been arranged in November but the mum did not attend.

Christie Ankers-Phillips, defending, said the defendant was a single mum with a number of children and had her hands full in the morning.

She walked the younger children to school and the older daughter walked to school herself.

The mum believed she was attending school but later found out that she was not.

The defendant's mother and stepfather were now assisting and would drive the girl to school.

She said the school attendance record had improved to 62.9 per cent which was moving in the right direction.

Miss Ankers-Phillips said: "She is willing to engage with the school and maybe they can sit down and set a plan in place to try and get her to attend her lessons.

"She appreciates how important it is for her to have an education."

It had been explained to her that if things did not improve then she could end up in custody.

Things were hectic in the morning, the girl left for school and the defendant assumed she attended.

Magistrates said while things were improving, a 62 per cent attendance rate was still appalling.

While she obviously had lots of family responsibilities she would have to make it work.

The child "deserved this chance to learn", they said.

The mum was fined £80 with £180 costs and she was ordered to pay a £30 surcharge.