Gave Wrong Address

[dog123]

Hi

I've just been speaking to my mate who is very worried because he's just made a huge mistake by giving wrong details. He had paid for a standard ticket but was sitting in first class, the inspectors realised it wasn't the correct address, but the address and name were pretty close to his real name and address.

He is worried that they will be able to find him as the house number he gave was only a few down from him, do they search that much? Then they told him to get off with them at the next station, he then for some reason decided to run. He said he didn't know why he did it, it was just a rush of blood to the head.

Do you think they will look at the houses on the street to see who has a matching surname? And if they do find him what will they do?

Thanks

 

[TheEdge]

There is nothing stopping them, especially if they already know its fake doing a little digging, although not sure how much they legally can. If someone in the prosecution department feels like getting their teeth stuck in its possible.

If they do and they do find your "mate" then it will be very easy to make a case for deliberate fare evasion under the Regulation of Railways Act and thats a fine and criminal record territory.

 

[najaB]

Do you think they will look at the houses on the street to see who has a matching surname? And if they do find him what will they do?

Giving an address 'a few doors down' is a common tactic of fare dodgers, so yes they will try matching close addresses. What will happen next depends on how 'ballsy' your friend is: if the TOC contacts them they can lie and say it isn't them or come clean. The risk with lying is that the TOC may have other evidence and lying would blow any chance of a small out of court settlement.

 

[bb21]

There are ways they can dig a little deeper. No, i won't tell you what they are but there are quite a few things they can do.

Tell your "mate" to stay on the straight and narrow from now on. If he gets away with it this time, count himself very lucky. Should he find himself in trouble again, never underestimate the ability of a prosecution department to link two cases together.

Until your "mate" hears back from the train company, that is if he does, there is very little else that can be said. If he does, then come back with more details and there may be things he could do to resolve the matter to the satisfaction of both the passenger and the train company.

 

[najaB]

Why's everyone putting "mate" in quotes, did I miss something?

 

[island]

Why's everyone putting "mate" in quotes, did I miss something?

They may be presuming that the OP is discussing something he/she did him/herself, and using a "mate" to distance him/herself from the incident. It's quite common.

 

[najaB]

They may be presuming that the OP is discussing something he/she did him/herself, and using a "mate" to distance him/herself from the incident. It's quite common.

Oh, I get that. Just certain members have have complained about a 'guilty as charged' bias to Disputes and Prosecutions - so I'm taking the story as written.

 

[crehld]

Oh, I get that. Just certain members have have complained about a 'guilty as charged' bias to Disputes and Prosecutions - so I'm taking the story as written.

It's a legitimate concern!

Rather than adopting 'guilty as charged bias', perhaps our judgements and subsequent advice on the disputes section of this forum should follow the same logic adopted for convictions of railway offences, which one respected forum member nicely summarized as follows:

flow from the Evidence which IS presented, and he [sic] authorities in law which ARE presented.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

There are ways they can dig a little deeper. No, i won't tell you what they are but there are quite a few things they can do.

I don't see any reason to keep schtum about the possible avenues of investigation a prosecutions team might utilize. Indeed advertising how easy it is to access one's true identity might put people off giving false details if they've strayed from the 'straight and narrow' in the first place.

Indeed, searching the electoral register at the local council offices or running a credit reference check, for example, are well known and publicized methods which almost anyone can do (and perhaps speaks to wider debates about the lack of privacy we have in a modern society). I imagine there are a range of investigative powers TOCs also have.

 

[bb21]

Some of the most effective techniques are actually surprisingly easy to guard against, but you will be amazed how many people unwittingly drop themselves in it (by incriminating themselves for example), so I would rather they are not widely known and discussed, potentially affecting their effectiveness.

Confirming someone's identity is just part of it.

 

[CheesyChips]

What are RPIs trained to do in this situation when somebody runs?

Are they permitted by their employer to use their 'any person' powers to detain?

 

[bb21]

What are RPIs trained to do in this situation when somebody runs?

Are they permitted by their employer to use their 'any person' powers to detain?

Generally speaking, no, as it bring about all sorts of complications.

 

[Antman]

What are RPIs trained to do in this situation when somebody runs?

Are they permitted by their employer to use their 'any person' powers to detain?

I've seen that once or twice, they'll normally just shout something to the effect that the runner is on CCTV and details will be forwarded to the police etc.

 

[amateur]

Some of the most effective techniques are actually surprisingly easy to guard against, but you will be amazed how many people unwittingly drop themselves in it (by incriminating themselves for example), so I would rather they are not widely known and discussed, potentially affecting their effectiveness.

Confirming someone's identity is just part of it.

sheher

 

[Navajo8686]

I was recently in Magistrates Court (as the Revenue Protection Manager who had issued a Penalty Fare) where the recipient had given slightly incorrect details ans subsequently denied being on the train etc.

Despite claiming that it was not him he was found guilty and fined £785 (including costs).

So the answer is yes you can be found and prosecuted successfully.

I won't reveal here the mistake he made that meant he was never going to get away with it!!

 

[Camden]

Did it involve him claiming to be left handed, and you throwing a ball and him catching it in his right hand? That's textbook, there was even a variation on it in one episode of Judge John Deed.

 

[CheesyChips]

I won't reveal here the mistake he made that meant he was never going to get away with it!!

Oh, but you must!

 

[Navajo8686]

I'd like to as it's schoolboy error stuff but don't want to give the bad guys any ideas!!

 

[6Gman]

I'd like to as it's schoolboy error stuff but don't want to give the bad guys any ideas!!

But there are no bad guys on here!

Just railway staff, railway enthusiasts, and law students.