Attempting to board with child ticket then giving a wrong address

[PThompson3]

This happened about a week ago, I don’t travel by train often but every time I had I noticed that there seemed to be nothing in place in regards to ticket checking.

So, for the first time I very stupidly risked it and attempted to board with a child ticket - I didn’t even make it to my platform before being stopped for my ticket. They asked my age, I replied 15 however the gig was up when they asked me my date of birth and I haphazardly spewed out an incorrect one, from that point on they were confrontational and rude in their choice of language and insisted that I wasn’t right in the head and began laughing at me.

I kept digging the whole even deeper for myself before eventually just confessing as my anxiety had hit a high so I just handed over my ID and allowed them to take my name, age and address from it. They asked if that was my current address, I replied no (as I haven’t lived there for 6 months however I’m still on the electoral roll) and gave them what I thought was my mothers address (which is where I had been staying and I wanted any potential fines/letters to go there).

They then asked if this was my first offence, before mentioning about a caution which I thought at the time was me just getting a tap on the wrist but I knew was incorrect as soon as they began reading my rights. I confessed to fare evasion, before signing their book.

They then handed me a different ticket, but they rejected my offer to pay for an adult ticket there and then however. They let me know that a letter would be coming in the post.

The problem though, what makes everything even worse is that when I got back to my mothers I realised that I’d got her house number wrong by one digit… so now I won’t have any idea when a decision gets made and the last thing I want is this to all to blow up in court, giving me a criminal record all over a few measly quid.

I know I’m in the wrong, and that I’m incredibly idiotic but does anyone have any advice on where to go from here or the best choice of action to take is? The whole thing is just consuming my mind now and I just want to deal with the consequences.

 

[furlong]

Start by saying which train company this was, or which station if you're not certain about that.
Perhaps visit the wrong address you gave and ask if they'll look out for the letter and deliver it to the right address if it arrives or let you know to collect it? (Offer them a bottle of wine for their trouble?)

 

[Hadders]

Welcome to the forum!

As noted above we really need to know more details, what journey were you making and which train company is involved. An aggravating factor is the fact that you have given an incorrect address. Hopefully given that it is very close to your mother's address means that you will likely still receive it, depending on whether the neighbour is likely to pass it on. If this is unlikely then you might want to try and contact the train company to correct this error.

This is the advice I normally give to people who come here seeking our advice in similar circumstances:

You are likely to receive a letter from the train company (or an investigation company acting on their behalf) which will probably take a few weeks to arrive saying that they have received a report, are considering prosecuting you and asking for your version of events. It is important that you engage with and reply to this letter. You might want to include the following in your reply:

- That you are sorry for what has happened
- What you have learned from the incident
- That you are keen to settle the matter without the need for court action
- Offer to pay the outstanding fare and the train company's administrative costs in dealing with the matter

Make sure your reply is short and concise, don't give a sob story - they've heard it all before. Most train companies are usually prepared to offer an administrative settlement (commonly known as an out of court settlement) for people who engage with the process and who haven't come to their attention before. There is no guarantee of this and the train company would be well within their rights to prosecute you in the magistrates court.

If you are offered a settlement the amount varies depending on the train company and circumstances but tend to be a few hundred pounds plus the outstanding fare. An out of court settlement might appear to be a fine, but it isn't and you won't have a criminal record as a result of accepting one.

Feel free to post a copy of the letter when it arrives (with personal details removed) and I'm sure members on here will be happy to assist in proof reading your reply.

 

[WesternLancer]

This happened about a week ago, I don’t travel by train often but every time I had I noticed that there seemed to be nothing in place in regards to ticket checking. So, for the first time I very stupidly risked it and attempted to board with a child ticket - I didn’t even make it to my platform before being stopped for my ticket. They asked my age, I replied 15 however the gig was up when they asked me my date of birth and I haphazardly spewed out an incorrect one, from that point on they were confrontational and rude in their choice of language and insisted that I wasn’t right in the head and began laughing at me. I kept digging the whole even deeper for myself before eventually just confessing as my anxiety had hit a high so I just handed over my ID and allowed them to take my name, age and address from it.

They asked if that was my current address, I replied no (as I haven’t lived there for 6 months however I’m still on the electoral roll) and gave them what I thought was my mothers address (which is where I had been staying and I wanted any potential fines/letters to go there). They then asked if this was my first offence, before mentioning about a caution which I thought at the time was me just getting a tap on the wrist but I knew was incorrect as soon as they began reading my rights. I confessed to fare evasion, before signing their book. They then handed me a different ticket, but they rejected my offer to pay for an adult ticket there and then however. They let me know that a letter would be coming in the post.

The problem though, what makes everything even worse is that when I got back to my mothers I realised that I’d got her house number wrong by one digit… so now I won’t have any idea when a decision gets made and the last thing I want is this to all to blow up in court, giving me a criminal record all over a few measly quid. I know I’m in the wrong, and that I’m incredibly idiotic but does anyone have any advice on where to go from here or the best choice of action to take is? The whole thing is just consuming my mind now and I just want to deal with the consequences.

To minimise future problems (which include a potential summons to court and criminal record - which will happen automatically if you do not respond to the letter they will send you) you need to receive and respond to that letter t - as you gave a wrong adress in error you need to correct that - so you need to write to the train company (not phone) and do that ASAP - as asked up thread if you state the station* where this happened etc we can advise you who to write to / how to contact them to get the address corrected.

Then in due course follow the advice from @Hadders in post #3 .

EDIT * or did they gave you any bits of paper that stated the name of the train company they worked for?

 

[PThompson3]

To minimise future problems (which include a potential summons to court and criminal record - which will happen automatically if you do not respond to the letter they will send you) you need to receive and respond to that letter t - as you gave a wrong adress in error you need to correct that - so you need to write to the train company (not phone) and do that ASAP - as asked up thread if you state the station* where this happened etc we can advise you who to write to / how to contact them to get the address corrected.

Then in due course follow the advice from @Hadders in post #3 .

EDIT * or did they gave you any bits of paper that stated the name of the train company they worked for?

I believe it’s SWR (South Western Railway). I wasn’t given any documentation, the only thing I was given was a new ticket (which I think is referred to as a no pay ticket) but that was obviously taken when I reached my destination. Thanks for the advice by the way.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Just out of curiosity, do you think there is any chance of things just being left as it was a first offence or is further action guaranteed?

From what we see here, the chances of it being ignored altogether are very slim. There is a good chance (but no guarantee) that as long as you manage to stay in contact with the railway and respond constructively to all their questions then the railway will be prepared to settle out of court. But the railway is entitled to prosecute in matters like this, and on the basis of what you have told us a prosecution for intentionally having an invalid ticket would succeed.

Before this sounds too downbeat, I'm not saying that you will go to prison - when railway ticketing offences are taken to court, conviction always results in a fine (plus other financial costs) rather than anything else. But the chances of getting away without having to pay substantially more than the train fare that you should have paid are very low indeed.

 

[mikeg]

Almost no chance of things being left and if there was it'd be after significant negotiation from yourself. But sorry it's almost certainly going to cost you.

 

[WesternLancer]

In terms of the OP getting the railway their correct address do we know if SWR have an in house team for following this sort of thing up or is it with TIL? Want to give the OP an address they can write to to confirm their correct address as this will avoid undue problems.

Worth reading this in full too - but I does not have an address on that page.

Ticket Checks and Revenue Protection | South Western Railway

penalty fares

www.southwesternrailway.com

eg letter would be along following lines (and probably needs ot be sent Royal Mail signed for so you can proove they got it should you need to do so)


Dear / Sir Madam

On X date at Y station I was stopped regarding a ticket irregularity and staff took my details. I was asked my address but due to being worried about the consequences of my actions, and not thinking clearly, I panicked and gave the wrong house number in error.

My correct postal address is:

My e-mail address is:

Please could any correspondence concerning this matter be sent to the above address so that I can respond to it as promptly as possible.

Thank you for your help

Yours faithfully
etc