TWO Basingstoke mothers were this week convicted of not sending their children to school.

The women, one from Popley and the other from Brighton Hill, were both found guilty by Basingstoke magistrates on Monday of failing to send their teenage sons to school last term.

One of the mothers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in court to argue, unsuccessfully, that her son, 14, was ill with depression during the seven weeks he did not attend school.

Magistrate Juliet Rees told the mother: "We find you guilty of this offence - the reasons are that there has been a lack of parental effort to ensure attendance. There has been no medical evidence to explain his absence or to prove he was sick."

Mrs Rees ordered that the probation service compile a report to decide whether the mother would benefit from parenting classes.

Another woman failed to turn up to court for the second time to explain why her 15-year-old son had not attended school for four months running.

In her absence, the magistrates convicted her and fined her £220 for not sending her child to school and ordered that she pay £200 costs.

Sixteen parents or guardians - 11 women and five men - were convicted of failing to send their children to school without a lawful excuse in Basingstoke between September 1, 2000 and August 31, 2001.

Last Thursday, Hampshire police and education welfare officers conducted an anti-truancy sweep in the town.

They stopped 51 youngsters on the streets of Basingstoke to ask them why they were not at school.

Three of the pupils were escorted back to school and offenders were registered with the county council and the police.

County councillor Don Allen, executive member for education, said: "The number of children who play truant in Hampshire is tiny, with overall unauthorised absence rates below the national average.

"However, we are committed to ensuring that these are further reduced - enabling all pupils to get the very best start in life."