A mother whose son played truant has been told to carry out a 150-hour community punishment order.

The case was described in court as one of the worst dealt with by education welfare officers at Brighton and Hove City Council.

Brighton magistrates heard that, until the legal action started, the 12-year-old boy had failed to attend his Brighton secondary school once this year.

The 40-year-old mother had also failed to co-operate with education welfare officers who tried to get her son back into school.

The mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons in order to protect her son's identity, was convicted in her absence at an earlier hearing of knowingly failing to send her child to school between January and March.

When she failed to attend court, a warrant with bail was issued for her arrest.

The woman, who lives in Brighton, was also made the subject of a parenting order, which means she must have weekly contact with education welfare officers. She was also ordered to pay £250 costs.

The magistrates were told there had also been problems with the boy's attendance at junior school and the mother had a previous conviction of failing to send him to school. Between October 2000 and March 2001 he did not attend a single lesson.

Len Batten, prosecuting for the council, said it was one of the worst cases the authority had dealt with.

He said: "Due to her unwillingness to speak to the school or the education welfare officer it has been impossible to discuss her son's education with her."

Mr Batten said since the previous court hearing last month the boy's attendance had improved and he was now attending school each day.

Amy Packham, defending, said the boy had felt so distressed at going to school he would cry, make himself ill and wet the bed.

Ms Packham said: "His mother found it very upsetting to force him to go to school. She realises now he has to go to school.

"In the past three weeks he has had a 100 per cent attendance record and that is clearly the purpose of these proceedings."