UK Court Fine Fijian Parents Over $900 For Taking Son Home To Attend Wedding
The couple admitted a charge of knowingly failing to ensure the regular attendance of their child at his Stoke-on-Trent high school.
Monday 17 June 2019 | 22:35
An ex-infantryman who served in Afghanistan and Iraq has been fined. Parents Josefa and Josephine Maka after were fined after taking their son out of school for a five-week trip to Fiji.
StokeOnTrentLive reported that Mr and Mrs Maka appeared before magistrates after flying their son to Fiji for a family wedding.
The couple admitted a charge of knowingly failing to ensure the regular attendance of their child at his Stoke-on-Trent high school.
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Prosecutor Lynn Chard said: "The family were going to Fiji for a family wedding. It was a good period of time to spend with the family. The school was not willing to authorise this absence."
The court heard Josefa Maka had been 'really busy' during his two years in the Army and hadn't managed to spend any time with relatives in Fiji.
He said: "We went to Fiji because I had spent two years in Afghanistan and Iraq. I had already paid more than £5,000 for Fiji. It was not like a holiday - we went to see the in-laws. When I was in the Army I was really busy. Some of my family are getting old, that's all I can say to explain it."
StokeOnTrentLive reported that both parents were fined £60 for the offence. Their combined total court bill was over $900 (£345)
