Jailed mother angry at truant son

A mother jailed for not sending her 15-year-old son to school, today told of her anger towards him as she was released from prison.

Sandra Hayward, who left Holloway jail after serving 10 days of her 20-day sentence, told how she had been surrounded by hardened criminals. "I was very scared and totally freaked out. I was strip searched - the most degrading

experience of my life," she said.

Magistrates held her responsible after her son missed 85 per cent of classes between June and September last year at Ryeish Green School in Spencers Wood, near Reading. Today Mrs Hayward said: "This has left scars. I resent the fact my son had the perfect opportunity to prevent this happening by just going to school - but he chose not to."