A MOTHER whose son attended school just 11 times last year has been given three months to get him back into the classroom or face being locked up.

Linda Cocker attended Blackburn Magistrates yesterday, just a month after pleading guilty to a charge of aggravated truancy -- an offence introduced by the Government in a bid to get parents to take responsibility for their children.

After pleading guilty, she was warned that because it was the third time she had been convicted of failing to ensure her son's attendance at school, she could expect a jail sentence.

But magistrates yesterday gave her one last chance to get her son back into Witton Park High School. If he attends regularly for the next three months, then magistrates will drop the threat of prison on Cocker.

If he doesn't, magistrates warned both Cocker and her son, who attended court as well, that there was a 'definite possibility' that she could be locked up -- becoming only the second parent to be thrown behind bars because her child hasn't been to school.

The court was told by Ian Hughes, prosecuting for Blackburn with Darwen Council, that Cocker's son attended school just 11 times last year.

Out of a possible 353 registrations, one every half day, he was absent without authorisation 338 times, authorised absent four times, and in attendance 11.

"Mrs Cocker and her son were warned of the possible consequences in June when they attended a meeting with the school," said Mr Hughes.

"She promised her son would be back in school the next week but he never attended."

In Cocker's defence, Jonathan Taylor said the 15-year-old's problems had only begun after his father died in 2000.

He did not enjoy school, did not like being in crowded places and did not like moving from room to room during the day, Mr Taylor said.

He added that since the last hearing, the prospect of his mother going to jail had had a profound effect on the boy, and he had promised to start going to school.

"A deferred sentence should have the effect of leaving the threat of prison hanging over their heads so hopefully he will start going back to school," said Mr Taylor.

"That has to be what everyone wants to achieve from this. Linda has tried all she can to get her son to school.

"The loss of his father had a profound effect on him and to lose his mother to a prison sentence would do him no good at all."

Magistrates agreed to the deferred sentence, but issued a stark warning to Cocker.

Chairman Mr Pye said: "This still remains a serious offence and a custodial sentence remains a definite possibility if you do not get your son back into school to attend regularly over the next three months.

"We also expect you to liaise with education officers at all times.

"He must also attend school punctually."

Councillor Mahfooz Hussain, Executive Member for Education and Lifelong Learning at Blackburn with Darwen Council said it was with "great reluctance" that the decision to prosecute was taken.

He said: "this parent for a third time for failing to send her son to school.

"We do not take these decisions lightly but we have an obligation to act in the best interests of the child who is entitled to receive an education.

"The authority and the school have worked with the mother over a number of years to try and come to a solution. She has failed to send her son to school regularly despite being prosecuted twice before and this could not be allowed to continue.

"We sincerely hope that the parent cooperates with us and the pupil receives the education as it is in the pupils best interests to attend school regularly."

Cocker was convicted of aggravated truancy last year, when part of her conditional discharge was to make sure her son went to school.

When he failed to do so, she was fined £50 by magistrates.

She will reappear before magistrates in November.