Waltham Forest Council failed to convince a judge that its mayor had paid a £400 fine for taking his daughter out of school.

Liaquat Ali, the boroughs mayor, took his 14-year-old child on a 12 day trip to Mecca last December during term time. He and his wife were fined in their absence two weeks ago at Waltham Forest Magistrates Court on 31 March.

Unsatisfactory evidence

The council claimed the mayor had paid a lower fine, finding a cheque in a town hall safe, yet could offer no evidence apart from providing a council worker as a wittness.

District Judge John Woollard said he was not satisfied with the witness and asked the council to produce statements from the person who delivered the cheque and the member of staff who received the money.

Currently parents can be fined up to £1,000 for arbitrary taking children out of lessons without authorisation, though the penalty has rarely been enforced.

Mr Ali is stepping down from the post at the end of his term.