I'm extremely worried after being stopped by a south west inspector this morning at Waterloo. Probably worth mentioning that I've never been stopped for anything like this before and can demonstrate having at least 13 months of back to back season tickets on my current oyster (probably more if I can find my old one).
I usually travel using a zone 1-6 pass from Hampton to Waterloo. I arrived this morning knowing that my pass expired last Thursday and I needed to renew (I was off sick last thurs/fri which can be confirmed by my employer). On arrival the machines were exceptionally busy and slow to process requests. There are two machines and I joined one with about 4 people in front. As time was ticking until the train was about to arrive I stuck my head into the ticket office where the employee was on the phone to Waterloo and advised me to get on at (as there were about 20 other people in my position) and sort it out at waterloo. He was apparently advising waterloo of the issues.
At Waterloo I intended to continue on my journey using the underground to Tottenham Court Road, I was in a rush to make a 9am meeting, so given the queue of people to be processed by the staff on the train side of the gates I walked through the barriers to buy my pass on the otherside.
I was immediately stopped by an inspector who said this wasn't a petty fare crime and I was facing criminal prosecution. Although he said I wouldn't have been able to buy a zone 1-6 pass on the train side anyway and that buying one after the event wouldn't have covered my journey.
He documented my story and was very aggressive in as much as he barely let me speak, couldn't read his own writing when recalling my version of events back to me, said that Hampton did not use Oysters and that as my oyster didn't have £2 worth of credit I wouldn't have been let through the barriers regardless of having a season ticket (which simply isn't true, this pass never had credit on it, only season tickets). Finally he implied that as the pass had run out last Thursday and it is now Monday I've clearly done this more than once.
I'm so angry at myself for having tried to save myself 10 minutes and cutting through the barrier. What is the likelihood of getting a court summons and prosecuted for this? I don't even know if I can continue in my current job if I get a criminal record.
Please, help!
I usually travel using a zone 1-6 pass from Hampton to Waterloo. I arrived this morning knowing that my pass expired last Thursday and I needed to renew (I was off sick last thurs/fri which can be confirmed by my employer). On arrival the machines were exceptionally busy and slow to process requests. There are two machines and I joined one with about 4 people in front. As time was ticking until the train was about to arrive I stuck my head into the ticket office where the employee was on the phone to Waterloo and advised me to get on at (as there were about 20 other people in my position) and sort it out at waterloo. He was apparently advising waterloo of the issues.
At Waterloo I intended to continue on my journey using the underground to Tottenham Court Road, I was in a rush to make a 9am meeting, so given the queue of people to be processed by the staff on the train side of the gates I walked through the barriers to buy my pass on the otherside.
I was immediately stopped by an inspector who said this wasn't a petty fare crime and I was facing criminal prosecution. Although he said I wouldn't have been able to buy a zone 1-6 pass on the train side anyway and that buying one after the event wouldn't have covered my journey.
He documented my story and was very aggressive in as much as he barely let me speak, couldn't read his own writing when recalling my version of events back to me, said that Hampton did not use Oysters and that as my oyster didn't have £2 worth of credit I wouldn't have been let through the barriers regardless of having a season ticket (which simply isn't true, this pass never had credit on it, only season tickets). Finally he implied that as the pass had run out last Thursday and it is now Monday I've clearly done this more than once.
I'm so angry at myself for having tried to save myself 10 minutes and cutting through the barrier. What is the likelihood of getting a court summons and prosecuted for this? I don't even know if I can continue in my current job if I get a criminal record.
Please, help!
