The figures, released in response to a parliamentary question, show that 1,961 parents were prosecuted in court over truancy in 2001. This figure soared to 9,506 in 2008.
In the same period, the number of unauthorised absences from school also increased albeit at a much slower rate. In 2001, 0.72 per cent of half-school days were missed due to unauthorised absence but this figure rose to just over one per cent in 2008.
There were 232,810 pupils classified as persistent absentees in England in 2008.
John Bangs, head of education at the National Union of Teachers, warned that punitive measures rarely encourage parents to ensure their children go to school.
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