Call to tighten law after mother was cleared

A London mother became the first to be prosecuted for allegedly lying on a school application form.

Mrinal Patel, 41, faced up to a year in jail or a £5,000 fine after Harrow council accused her of giving a false address to get her son into one of London's most popular primary schools. But the council dropped the case after receiving legal advice that its use of the Fraud Act 2006 could be open to challenge.

Mrs Patel denied fraud, but admitted using her mother's address on the form when trying to get her son Rhys into Pinner Park First School, which had 430 applications for 90 places.

She said she was living permanently at her mother's home, a short walk from the school, when she applied. It was reported she had moved out of the family home, outside the catchment area, because of marital problems.

After the school accepted Rhys, Mrs Patel returned to her husband's home. Harrow urged ministers to tighten the law to stop parents cheating. Children's Secretary Ed Balls has said he does not believe the Fraud Act applies in school admissions cases.