Need Advice!
It was early November since the incident happened I received the letter from the prosecution office for not having a valid ticket.
I bought carnet ticket in May between High Wycombe and London Marylebone for some of my contract work in London. As my contract work has finished and I still have one set of return ticket left, I decided to sell it to someone else before its validation period is expired on in two days. If I could not sell it then I would use them for myself.
In the morning I went to High Wycombe Station to sell the tickets. When I was trying to sell the tickets to people who were queuing at the ticket office, a male staff of the station in the ticket office asked what I was doing, I told him the reason why I was there. He then told me that the station is the private property and I was not allowed to sell tickets there and I should do it outside the station area.
I then stood outside the station area for about 10 minutes to sell the tickets. I then decided to go to the other side of the station to try my luck. After a while two station staff appeared, one was the original one who asked the questions. They told me that although I was outside the ticket office area, I was in the car park, which is still Chiltern Railway's property.
At that moment I decided that I would use the tickets for myself to go to London. I asked them if I could borrow a mask pen to write down the date on to the ticket. The two staff and the male inspector who was for the train said they did not have the pen. I then said in that case I would use my own pen to write down the date on the ticket. I did so and boarded the train.
At Marylebone Station, at the electronic ticket barrier when I was giving my ticket to the staff there, I heard some shouting from behind to stop me. It was obvious that the staff at High Wycombe had informed their colleague in London and I was also monitored by the conductor on the train. The railway staff came with the conductor on the train whom I recognise, and another gentleman. He asked me if I would talk with him, or I would be handed to the police (it turned out that the other gentleman was a plain clothed police who showed me his ID). I said I had no problem to talk to him. The police left at that point.
The inspector then accused me of trying to sell the railway ticket illegally and I was using an invalid ticket. He threatened me that the staff at High Wycombe had rang here and I would be brought back to High Wycombe to face charges and they have CCTV recording to prove it.
In addition I was asked to pay the penalty fee or I will be handed to the police. At that time I was very angry and refused to pay any penalty as I was having a valid ticket and as far as I understand, I have the right to transfer ticket to other people. At that time they asked another police to join us. In my impression this plain clothed police is higher in rank and was not on duty for this. He asked what the issue was and asked another younger police in uniform, who was on duty at the station (for security duty in my opinion) to help, and if necessary to report back to him, then left to board a train. The police on duty asked the detail then said it was a dispute between the railway and passenger only, and as no issue regarding the public order and safety involved, he would not interfere. I was angry but calm, no dirty word was exchanged.
As I deny to have done anything wrong and refused to pay the penalty, the gentleman staff member asked me to fill a form and said I would be handed to the police and put to prison. I filled the form, in which I was asked about my name, address, my ID (driver licence), birthday, even my height, build, hair colour, eye colour, clothing and footwear etc.. I then asked to sign the form. No reason why the ticket is invalid was given in the form and I took the photo immediately after I signed it.
To my surprise after I had signed the form I was told that I could go! I asked if I would not be handed to the police and put into prison, they said that I should just go. I wasted about 2 hours on the dispute.
On reflection the whole thing was because the railway staff were not happy that I was trying to sell the ticket (although once they told me I could not sell them in the station I followed their advice accordingly and immediately) and tried to punish and humiliate me to pay the penalty fee.
I have a photo of my ticket and the form I filled. The ticket was smudged but was so clean that a normal smudged one would have much more ink on it. The dent on the ticket was clear that the correct date was on the ticket and it was obvious I made extra effort to write down the date.
Once I received the letter I emailed the prosecution office (offices at about 0900 in the morning ) to keep the CCTV recording at platform 3 (to London) and the two ticket. There were at least 13 hours to the day the incident happened. They never replied. I asked again a week later and was told that as the CCTV recordings were kept for 30 days they have been overwritten. However as I said, at the time I emailed them in early morning they should have at least 13 hours to do that.
I would be grateful if any of you can give me advice.
P.S the train time I boarded was approximate
It was early November since the incident happened I received the letter from the prosecution office for not having a valid ticket.
I bought carnet ticket in May between High Wycombe and London Marylebone for some of my contract work in London. As my contract work has finished and I still have one set of return ticket left, I decided to sell it to someone else before its validation period is expired on in two days. If I could not sell it then I would use them for myself.
In the morning I went to High Wycombe Station to sell the tickets. When I was trying to sell the tickets to people who were queuing at the ticket office, a male staff of the station in the ticket office asked what I was doing, I told him the reason why I was there. He then told me that the station is the private property and I was not allowed to sell tickets there and I should do it outside the station area.
I then stood outside the station area for about 10 minutes to sell the tickets. I then decided to go to the other side of the station to try my luck. After a while two station staff appeared, one was the original one who asked the questions. They told me that although I was outside the ticket office area, I was in the car park, which is still Chiltern Railway's property.
At that moment I decided that I would use the tickets for myself to go to London. I asked them if I could borrow a mask pen to write down the date on to the ticket. The two staff and the male inspector who was for the train said they did not have the pen. I then said in that case I would use my own pen to write down the date on the ticket. I did so and boarded the train.
At Marylebone Station, at the electronic ticket barrier when I was giving my ticket to the staff there, I heard some shouting from behind to stop me. It was obvious that the staff at High Wycombe had informed their colleague in London and I was also monitored by the conductor on the train. The railway staff came with the conductor on the train whom I recognise, and another gentleman. He asked me if I would talk with him, or I would be handed to the police (it turned out that the other gentleman was a plain clothed police who showed me his ID). I said I had no problem to talk to him. The police left at that point.
The inspector then accused me of trying to sell the railway ticket illegally and I was using an invalid ticket. He threatened me that the staff at High Wycombe had rang here and I would be brought back to High Wycombe to face charges and they have CCTV recording to prove it.
In addition I was asked to pay the penalty fee or I will be handed to the police. At that time I was very angry and refused to pay any penalty as I was having a valid ticket and as far as I understand, I have the right to transfer ticket to other people. At that time they asked another police to join us. In my impression this plain clothed police is higher in rank and was not on duty for this. He asked what the issue was and asked another younger police in uniform, who was on duty at the station (for security duty in my opinion) to help, and if necessary to report back to him, then left to board a train. The police on duty asked the detail then said it was a dispute between the railway and passenger only, and as no issue regarding the public order and safety involved, he would not interfere. I was angry but calm, no dirty word was exchanged.
As I deny to have done anything wrong and refused to pay the penalty, the gentleman staff member asked me to fill a form and said I would be handed to the police and put to prison. I filled the form, in which I was asked about my name, address, my ID (driver licence), birthday, even my height, build, hair colour, eye colour, clothing and footwear etc.. I then asked to sign the form. No reason why the ticket is invalid was given in the form and I took the photo immediately after I signed it.
To my surprise after I had signed the form I was told that I could go! I asked if I would not be handed to the police and put into prison, they said that I should just go. I wasted about 2 hours on the dispute.
On reflection the whole thing was because the railway staff were not happy that I was trying to sell the ticket (although once they told me I could not sell them in the station I followed their advice accordingly and immediately) and tried to punish and humiliate me to pay the penalty fee.
I have a photo of my ticket and the form I filled. The ticket was smudged but was so clean that a normal smudged one would have much more ink on it. The dent on the ticket was clear that the correct date was on the ticket and it was obvious I made extra effort to write down the date.
Once I received the letter I emailed the prosecution office (offices at about 0900 in the morning ) to keep the CCTV recording at platform 3 (to London) and the two ticket. There were at least 13 hours to the day the incident happened. They never replied. I asked again a week later and was told that as the CCTV recordings were kept for 30 days they have been overwritten. However as I said, at the time I emailed them in early morning they should have at least 13 hours to do that.
I would be grateful if any of you can give me advice.
P.S the train time I boarded was approximate
Perhaps someone else can advise on the legality of this.
