ANDREW BROWN skipped more than half of his lessons because he could not face life at the hands of cruel bullies.
But the reality that his mother was a court case away from time behind bars forced the 15-year-old to change his ways, Andrew pictured with his mum Christine.
And in six months, he has more than doubled his attendance and is finally living up to his true academic potential.
Andrew, from Hemlington, had suffered at the hands of bullies since he was a pupil at Viewley Hill Primary School.
The taunting continued when he started at Hall Garth Community Arts College, in Acklam, Middlesbrough, and Andrew began to play truant.
His attendance was 43.9%, despite the best efforts of mum Christine, 48, and dad Ian, 52, to get him into school. Now it is 92%.
Christine, a full-time carer, said: "He was like a lonely child. He couldn't make friends.
"He is the youngest in his year. He was born in August which meant he had only just turned 11 when he started secondary school.
"I can't drive but Ian would bring him into school and then he would take off."
She said the school even arranged transport, but he still did not attend lessons. "I knew for a long time and I would sit on the stairs crying."
Christine was fined £500 at her first court appearance. At the second last summer, she faced going to jail. "I was frightened. It broke my heart and I still get frightened now," said Christine, who also has a daughter Amanda, 12, who goes to Hall Garth, and sons Anthony, 26, and Stephen, 23.
Andrew said: "I was getting bullied in lessons and that put me off and the work was too hard." He said he tried to attend school but found lessons intimidating because he says 'I didn't know what I was doing.'
He said he started attending school again when his mum faced jail. "That's what made me go back to school. I knew she could go to jail," he said. "I like my lessons better now and I know more people."
The options he has chosen mean he is no longer with the people who bullied him.
Christine said the school was also encouraging him more. "Because he is going to the classes, they give him more help and more support."
Andrew's favourite subjects are business and performing arts, and the young motorbike enthusiast is hoping to become a mechanic.
Mary Bird, assistant headteacher with responsibility for attendance, said: "The fact that he didn't attend school definitely affected Andrew's learning. Now he is beginning to achieve his true potential."
Parent prosecutions: 138 on Teesside
A total of 138 Teesside parents were prosecuted in the courts in the last academic year because their children were not attending school, according to figures given to the Evening Gazette.
The sentences handed out to the parents of truants ranged from fines to a 28-day prison sentence.
In Redcar and Cleveland, 800 families were referred to the council's Education Welfare Service.
Nearly 400 were entered into formal attendance procedures, and of these, 109 parents accepted support and entered into parenting contracts.
But 38 were issued with penalty notice fines and a further 60 were prosecuted in the courts, with the majority being given fines and 20 placed on parenting orders.
In Stockton, 157 parents of primary and secondary school children were entered into formal proceedings and 149 were started on parenting contracts.
A total of 17 fines were issued, and 25 parents were prosecuted.
In Middlesbrough, over 2,000 families were referred to the Education Welfare Service.
A total of 87 fines were issued and 48 parents were prosecuted.
The penalties included a 28 day prison sentence given to Angela Wylam in January.
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well done Andrew for facing up to the bullies and returning to school. I think this case just goes to show it's not black and white. You can't just fine parents when kids don't go to school - in this case the parents have tried and the child was intimidated. Great news that it's all on the up.