Southeastern Notice of Possible Prosecution

[LiddiLars]

On the 2nd of April 2025, I was coming back from work and was stopped at the barriers. I had a return ticket from Gravesend to London Bridge but when I saw other people being stopped and questioned, I panicked and hastily bought a ticket From Ebbsfleet on the HS1. I used the HS1 from St Pancras to go back home. The man stopped me at the gates and saw that my Ebbsfleet ticket was not scanned at all and that I was just bought. He asked me where di I actually board and I then admitted that I had border from St Pancras and that I had a regular return ticket to London from Gravesend. He asked if he could see the app where I buy my tickets and scanned a past ticket and realised that I had used the normal ticket to travel to and from St Pancras on the HS1.

He pulled me aside and started to interview me, by this point I was quite scared, and he said something along the lines of he is not a police officer and he is not able to arrest me, which really got me scared because I didn’t not understand why he was saying something like that. I gave him my details and he said that SE will send me a letter in a few weeks. I kept on telling him that I do not understand what I was interviewed for like that and what is he accusing me of. He was a bit reluctant to say anything and reassured me that I was still interview under cautions. After the interview was done I asked again what was that for and again was reluctant and I rephrase my question and asked him what the offence was. By this time he agreed to tell me that it is for fare evasion and that SE will want to talk to me.

Yesterday I received a letter from SE asking me to comment on the incidents on the 2nd of April and that I have 21 days to resound.

As a bit of a context, I have been using a regular Anytime Day Return ticket to commute 4 times a week from Gravesend into London. I have been doing this commute for the past 3 years, but about 1 year ago I realised that my normal E ticket that I always buy would let me in through the barriers at St Pancras and I started using that service, as it is much more reliable and a lot faster. The normal routs have a lot of cancellations and delays and my workplaces requires strict punctuality.

Also, I had to change my Railcard from 26-30 to a Network Railcard in February but I thought it would just update on the app when I buy the tickets, which didn’t. so for about a month I was buying my regular tickets with my old railcard.

To be fare, I was not aware of the gravity of what I was doing and I did not know about fare evasion and the possibility of prosecution, I am not English but I do know this is no excuse. I was doing the deed and I take acceptance and responsibility.

I would now like to respond to the letter but and try to settle this out of court. My question is if I should hire a solicitors at this stage, Ihe already enquired about the costs of that and what it entitles. I have been quoted £240 for an initial consultation and another £900 for the rest of the representation. Should I just go ahead and hire Makwanas solicitors or is it something I can respond to myself for the time being.

I have already drafted a response but not sure what to do. I am very scared and ashamed and any advice would be so good.



Thank you.

Response to the letter below:



To: Prosecutions.team@southeasternrailway.co.uk

Subject: Response to Prosecution Letter – Reference SEIMG000835628



Dear Sir or Madam,



I am writing in response to your letter dated 25 April 2025 regarding the incident on 2 April 2025, reference number SEIMG000835628.



I would like to sincerely apologise for my actions and the circumstances that have brought about this situation. I understand the seriousness of the matter and the importance of upholding fare compliance across the rail network.



For the past year, I have commuted regularly from Gravesend to London and have consistently relied on Southeastern services to reach my place of work on time. I often took High Speed services due to the unreliability and delays of the standard routes, as my job requires strict punctuality. However, I regret that I did not properly understand that a specific HS1 supplement was required, and I now recognise that I was travelling on High Speed services using a standard ticket that was not valid for those trains.



Over the past year, my tickets have been inspected by train conductors on numerous occasions while travelling on High Speed services, and I was never informed that my ticket was invalid or required an HS1 supplement—aside from one occasion, where I believe a conductor may have mentioned it. In hindsight, I should have taken this more seriously and clarified the requirements at the time. I now fully accept that it was my responsibility to ensure I held the correct ticket.



At the time of the incident on 2 April, I made a serious error in judgment by stating I had boarded at Ebbsfleet. I now fully acknowledge that this was a dishonest response made in a moment of panic, and I am truly so sorry. This situation has caused me significant stress and reflection, and I deeply regret the decision I made.



I respectfully and humbly request that you allow me to resolve this matter without it progressing to prosecution. I am fully willing to pay the outstanding fare and any reasonable administrative costs. I can assure you this will never happen again.



Please accept my sincerest apologies to Southeastern and your staff. I am grateful for the opportunity to explain and take responsibility for my actions.

 

[AlterEgo]

Quick question for those in the know - is the passenger entitled to purchase the HS upgrade on board? No offence is committed if one boards a train without one, am I right?

 

[island]

Quick question for those in the know - is the passenger entitled to purchase the HS upgrade on board? No offence is committed if one boards a train without one, am I right?

That is correct, but an offence would be committed, at the latest, if the passenger knows that an Excess fare is due and walks out of the destination station without seeking to pay it. St Pancras has ticket offices open until 2315 and Gravesend until 2000.

 

[Haywain]

Quick question for those in the know - is the passenger entitled to purchase the HS upgrade on board? No offence is committed if one boards a train without one, am I right?

Not sure about the upgrade but a change of route excess could be purchased on board. Unfortunately, in this case, the OP will struggle to suggest that would have been an appropriate outcome as buying and attempting to use a ticket from Ebbsfleet clearly indicates an intent to evade the correct fare.

 

[Titfield]

In the response the OP is admitting to fare evasion (by not paying the supplement or having an HS1 valid ticket) on multiple occasions.

Given that the letter does not ask specifically about this should the OP admit to this in their response?

I do not think that SE will believe that the OP did not know that using HS1 required the payment of a higher fare.

I would also not include any attempt to justify my behaviour on the grounds that the standard service is unreliable etc.

 

[AlterEgo]

The only real evidence the company has in any of the cases they talk about is the OP’s own admission. Had they gone no comment there would be no case; they presented a ticket which was otherwise valid until the OP admitted to travelling from further afield (a lack of scan isn’t good evidence a passenger boarded elsewhere!).

The OP is entitled to purchase HS supplements on board or otherwise before they leave the system which would be done “away” from the OP’s online account, so the company has no evidence of any offences there bar the OP’s own admission too.

I don’t think the OP should refer to the HS1 supplements in their response. They’ve only been asked about the incident where they were stopped, so let SE try and detect the other offences and cross that bridge when it arrives. Don’t do their work for them!

This is a case where talking has landed the OP in trouble; had they simply given their name and address as required by law, and left, the company would have nothing to go on. The OP then panics and says things in the interview which are clearly false and which only aggravate the case.

 

[Haywain]

a lack of scan isn’t good evidence a passenger boarded elsewhere!

It sounds as though the time of purchase was a good indicator as well.

 

[AlterEgo]

It sounds as though the time of purchase was a good indicator as well.

If it was purchased just before the barrier, perhaps, though I still think you need the OP’s admission to make a case for when and where they boarded and did commit the Bylaw offence.

 

[LiddiLars]

The only real evidence the company has in any of the cases they talk about is the OP’s own admission. Had they gone no comment there would be no case; they presented a ticket which was otherwise valid until the OP admitted to travelling from further afield (a lack of scan isn’t good evidence a passenger boarded elsewhere!).

The OP is entitled to purchase HS supplements on board or otherwise before they leave the system which would be done “away” from the OP’s online account, so the company has no evidence of any offences there bar the OP’s own admission too.

I don’t think the OP should refer to the HS1 supplements in their response. They’ve only been asked about the incident where they were stopped, so let SE try and detect the other offences and cross that bridge when it arrives. Don’t do their work for them!

This is a case where talking has landed the OP in trouble; had they simply given their name and address as required by law, and left, the company would have nothing to go on. The OP then panics and says things in the interview which are clearly false and which only aggravate the case.

Thank you for the reply. I would have not admitted to anything had the warden not asked for my previous tickets and check to see where I board and where I got off. It all was very strange, the way he talked to me and I felt like he tried to trick me as well. I really panicked and did not know what to say. Unfortunately this now keeps me up at night and have to deal with something that I don't know how bit can get. Should I just ask for the help of a solicitor at this point and explain to them everything that happened? or try to respond to the letter on my on and see how it goes?

 

[John R]

It sounds as though the time of purchase was a good indicator as well.

And presumably if SE knows that the gateline at Ebbsfleet was in operation that’s a big clue too.

But regardless, the OP admitted the offence, so we need to work from that position.

 

[AlterEgo]

Thank you for the reply. I would have not admitted to anything had the warden not asked for my previous tickets and check to see where I board and where I got off. It all was very strange, the way he talked to me and I felt like he tried to trick me as well. I really panicked and did not know what to say. Unfortunately this now keeps me up at night and have to deal with something that I don't know how bit can get. Should I just ask for the help of a solicitor at this point and explain to them everything that happened? or try to respond to the letter on my on and see how it goes?

You shouldn’t need a solicitor for this. The company settles basically every time, although if they detect lots of previous instances this can be expensive.

 

[LiddiLars]

Thank you all for chiming in. I have now updated the draft and would like your opinion on this. I think, at this time I will respond to the letter myself and not get represented by a solicitor just yet. Hopefully I can get it settled out of court.
I find it a bit difficult to write the response in such a way that covers me for whatever they might find in my past purchases and in the same time not incriminating myself further, so any advice would be very very much appreciated. The draft is as below:

Dear Sir or Madam,


I am writing in response to your letter dated 25 April 2025 regarding the incident on 2 April 2025, reference number xxxxx


I would like to sincerely apologise for my actions and for the situation that has occurred. I fully recognise the importance of travelling with the correct ticket and understand the seriousness with which Southeastern rightly treats fare compliance.


When questioned on the day in question, I made a regrettable decision in a moment of panic by stating that I had boarded at Ebbsfleet. I accept that this was wrong and deeply regret not being honest from the outset. I take full responsibility and have given serious thought to the consequences of my actions.


This experience has given me a valuable opportunity to reflect on how I use the rail network and has made me more mindful of my responsibilities as a passenger. I am committed to ensuring full compliance going forward.


I respectfully ask that you consider allowing me to resolve this matter without court proceedings. I am willing to pay any unpaid fare and an appropriate administrative fee. Please accept my sincere apologies to Southeastern and its staff for the time and resources this has taken.


Thank you for considering my response.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 May 2025 ==

Any more suggestions on the new draft ?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 May 2025 ==

Sorry to insit but I am loosing my mind with worry. Is thw above letter any better? Should I cange anything else to it or is it good enough? Thank you all!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 May 2025 ==

On the 2nd of April 2025, I was coming back from work and was stopped at the barriers. I had a return ticket from Gravesend to London Bridge but when I saw other people being stopped and questioned, I panicked and hastily bought a ticket From Ebbsfleet on the HS1. I used the HS1 from St Pancras to go back home. The man stopped me at the gates and saw that my Ebbsfleet ticket was not scanned at all and that I was just bought. He asked me where di I actually board and I then admitted that I had border from St Pancras and that I had a regular return ticket to London from Gravesend. He asked if he could see the app where I buy my tickets and scanned a past ticket and realised that I had used the normal ticket to travel to and from St Pancras on the HS1.

He pulled me aside and started to interview me, by this point I was quite scared, and he said something along the lines of he is not a police officer and he is not able to arrest me, which really got me scared because I didn’t not understand why he was saying something like that. I gave him my details and he said that SE will send me a letter in a few weeks. I kept on telling him that I do not understand what I was interviewed for like that and what is he accusing me of. He was a bit reluctant to say anything and reassured me that I was still interview under cautions. After the interview was done I asked again what was that for and again was reluctant and I rephrase my question and asked him what the offence was. By this time he agreed to tell me that it is for fare evasion and that SE will want to talk to me.

Yesterday I received a letter from SE asking me to comment on the incidents on the 2nd of April and that I have 21 days to resound.

As a bit of a context, I have been using a regular Anytime Day Return ticket to commute 4 times a week from Gravesend into London. I have been doing this commute for the past 3 years, but about 1 year ago I realised that my normal E ticket that I always buy would let me in through the barriers at St Pancras and I started using that service, as it is much more reliable and a lot faster. The normal routs have a lot of cancellations and delays and my workplaces requires strict punctuality.

Also, I had to change my Railcard from 26-30 to a Network Railcard in February but I thought it would just update on the app when I buy the tickets, which didn’t. so for about a month I was buying my regular tickets with my old railcard.

To be fare, I was not aware of the gravity of what I was doing and I did not know about fare evasion and the possibility of prosecution, I am not English but I do know this is no excuse. I was doing the deed and I take acceptance and responsibility.

I would now like to respond to the letter but and try to settle this out of court. My question is if I should hire a solicitors at this stage, Ihe already enquired about the costs of that and what it entitles. I have been quoted £240 for an initial consultation and another £900 for the rest of the representation. Should I just go ahead and hire Makwanas solicitors or is it something I can respond to myself for the time being.

I have already drafted a response but not sure what to do. I am very scared and ashamed and any advice would be so good.



Thank you.

Response to the letter below:



To: Prosecutions.team@southeasternrailway.co.uk

Subject: Response to Prosecution Letter – Reference SEIMG000835628



Dear Sir or Madam,



I am writing in response to your letter dated 25 April 2025 regarding the incident on 2 April 2025, reference number SEIMG000835628.



I would like to sincerely apologise for my actions and the circumstances that have brought about this situation. I understand the seriousness of the matter and the importance of upholding fare compliance across the rail network.



For the past year, I have commuted regularly from Gravesend to London and have consistently relied on Southeastern services to reach my place of work on time. I often took High Speed services due to the unreliability and delays of the standard routes, as my job requires strict punctuality. However, I regret that I did not properly understand that a specific HS1 supplement was required, and I now recognise that I was travelling on High Speed services using a standard ticket that was not valid for those trains.



Over the past year, my tickets have been inspected by train conductors on numerous occasions while travelling on High Speed services, and I was never informed that my ticket was invalid or required an HS1 supplement—aside from one occasion, where I believe a conductor may have mentioned it. In hindsight, I should have taken this more seriously and clarified the requirements at the time. I now fully accept that it was my responsibility to ensure I held the correct ticket.



At the time of the incident on 2 April, I made a serious error in judgment by stating I had boarded at Ebbsfleet. I now fully acknowledge that this was a dishonest response made in a moment of panic, and I am truly so sorry. This situation has caused me significant stress and reflection, and I deeply regret the decision I made.



I respectfully and humbly request that you allow me to resolve this matter without it progressing to prosecution. I am fully willing to pay the outstanding fare and any reasonable administrative costs. I can assure you this will never happen again.



Please accept my sincerest apologies to Southeastern and your staff. I am grateful for the opportunity to explain and take responsibility for my actio

 

[LiddiLars]

On the 2nd of April 2025, I was coming back from work and was stopped at the barriers. I had a return ticket from Gravesend to London Bridge but when I saw other people being stopped and questioned, I panicked and hastily bought a ticket From Ebbsfleet on the HS1. I used the HS1 from St Pancras to go back home. The man stopped me at the gates and saw that my Ebbsfleet ticket was not scanned at all and that I was just bought. He asked me where di I actually board and I then admitted that I had border from St Pancras and that I had a regular return ticket to London from Gravesend. He asked if he could see the app where I buy my tickets and scanned a past ticket and realised that I had used the normal ticket to travel to and from St Pancras on the HS1.

He pulled me aside and started to interview me, by this point I was quite scared, and he said something along the lines of he is not a police officer and he is not able to arrest me, which really got me scared because I didn’t not understand why he was saying something like that. I gave him my details and he said that SE will send me a letter in a few weeks. I kept on telling him that I do not understand what I was interviewed for like that and what is he accusing me of. He was a bit reluctant to say anything and reassured me that I was still interview under cautions. After the interview was done I asked again what was that for and again was reluctant and I rephrase my question and asked him what the offence was. By this time he agreed to tell me that it is for fare evasion and that SE will want to talk to me.

Yesterday I received a letter from SE asking me to comment on the incidents on the 2nd of April and that I have 21 days to resound.

As a bit of a context, I have been using a regular Anytime Day Return ticket to commute 4 times a week from Gravesend into London. I have been doing this commute for the past 3 years, but about 1 year ago I realised that my normal E ticket that I always buy would let me in through the barriers at St Pancras and I started using that service, as it is much more reliable and a lot faster. The normal routs have a lot of cancellations and delays and my workplaces requires strict punctuality.

Also, I had to change my Railcard from 26-30 to a Network Railcard in February but I thought it would just update on the app when I buy the tickets, which didn’t. so for about a month I was buying my regular tickets with my old railcard.

To be fare, I was not aware of the gravity of what I was doing and I did not know about fare evasion and the possibility of prosecution, I am not English but I do know this is no excuse. I was doing the deed and I take acceptance and responsibility.

I would now like to respond to the letter but and try to settle this out of court. My question is if I should hire a solicitors at this stage, Ihe already enquired about the costs of that and what it entitles. I have been quoted £240 for an initial consultation and another £900 for the rest of the representation. Should I just go ahead and hire Makwanas solicitors or is it something I can respond to myself for the time being.

I have already drafted a response but not sure what to do. I am very scared and ashamed and any advice would be so good.



Thank you.

Response to the letter below:



To: Prosecutions.team@southeasternrailway.co.uk

Subject: Response to Prosecution Letter – Reference SEIMG000835628



Dear Sir or Madam,



I am writing in response to your letter dated 25 April 2025 regarding the incident on 2 April 2025, reference number SEIMGxxxxxxxx.



I would like to sincerely apologise for my actions and the circumstances that have brought about this situation. I understand the seriousness of the matter and the importance of upholding fare compliance across the rail network.



For the past year, I have commuted regularly from Gravesend to London and have consistently relied on Southeastern services to reach my place of work on time. I often took High Speed services due to the unreliability and delays of the standard routes, as my job requires strict punctuality. However, I regret that I did not properly understand that a specific HS1 supplement was required, and I now recognise that I was travelling on High Speed services using a standard ticket that was not valid for those trains.



Over the past year, my tickets have been inspected by train conductors on numerous occasions while travelling on High Speed services, and I was never informed that my ticket was invalid or required an HS1 supplement—aside from one occasion, where I believe a conductor may have mentioned it. In hindsight, I should have taken this more seriously and clarified the requirements at the time. I now fully accept that it was my responsibility to ensure I held the correct ticket.



At the time of the incident on 2 April, I made a serious error in judgment by stating I had boarded at Ebbsfleet. I now fully acknowledge that this was a dishonest response made in a moment of panic, and I am truly so sorry. This situation has caused me significant stress and reflection, and I deeply regret the decision I made.



I respectfully and humbly request that you allow me to resolve this matter without it progressing to prosecution. I am fully willing to pay the outstanding fare and any reasonable administrative costs. I can assure you this will never happen again.



Please accept my sincerest apologies to Southeastern and your staff. I am grateful for the opportunity to explain and take responsibility for my actions.

Hi all and thank you for your messages. I think I will be now sending in this letter and I would very much appreciate any ideas you would have on this. Thanks


Dear Southeastern team,

I am writing in relation to your letter dated 25 April 2025 regarding the incident on 2 April 2025, reference number xxxx

First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere apologies for my actions and for the concern this has caused. I fully recognise the importance of travelling with a valid ticket and understand the seriousness with which Southeastern treats fare matters.

In this instance, I made a regrettable and impulsive decision when questioned about my journey. I accept full responsibility for this lapse in judgment, and I deeply regret my response at the time. This incident has caused me significant stress and reflection, and I am truly sorry for not acting in a more honest and responsible way.

I fully appreciate the resources required to follow up on such matters and the broader impact of fare evasion. I want to assure you that this experience has had a lasting effect on me, and I am committed to ensuring full compliance with travel regulations going forward.

I respectfully request the opportunity to resolve this matter without court proceedings. I am willing to pay the outstanding fare and any reasonable administrative costs associated with this case. I hope that you might consider this as an error in judgment from someone who now fully understands the implications of their actions.

Thank you for your time and for considering my response. I would be truly grateful for the chance to settle this directly and avoid further action.

 

[Hadders]

I think your reply is fine. Please do let us know how your case progresses.

 

[LiddiLars]

I think your reply is fine. Please do let us know how your case progresses.

Thank you, I am still a bit unsure if I should go with a solicitor or send this letter, as I am afraid that they will find the other times I traveled on the HS1.

 

[enyoueffsea]

Thank you, I am still a bit unsure if I should go with a solicitor or send this letter, as I am afraid that they will find the other times I traveled on the HS1.

Send the letter. A solicitor wouldn’t be able to stop them finding any other times. As has already been said, this isn’t a straightforward case where it will be easy for them to identify.

If they come back with an extremely high settlement amount based on lots of other occasions, that may be the time for a solicitor. Right now you’ll just be wasting money.

 

[notmyrealname]

Hi.

In post #13 you've left their reference number in the first sentence. You might want to edit that.

 

[LiddiLars]

Send the letter. A solicitor wouldn’t be able to stop them finding any other times. As has already been said, this isn’t a straightforward case where it will be easy for them to identify.

If they come back with an extremely high settlement amount based on lots of other occasions, that may be the time for a solicitor. Right now you’ll just be wasting money.

Thank you for your respons. I will proceed with the letter.

 

[LiddiLars]

Hi.

In post #13 you've left their reference number in the first sentence. You might want to edit that.

Thank you for letting me know. I have edited it out.

 

[LiddiLars]

Hi, case update.
I have just recived a response to the letter I sent today, and it is absolutely outrageous. I was asked to pay £9,790.55 of unpaid fairs, for 899 journeys. I did not even commute to London that many times and only been using a wrong ticket for 1 year. This sounds very made up and now I will have to get the help of a solicitor as this sum is incorrect.

Has anything like this every happened before?

Thank you!

Have attached a photo of the new letter.

 

[John R]

Oh dear! Yes, using a solicitor may be advisable given the sum they are asking, but in the first instance you might politely go back, express surprise at the amount due and number of instances, and ask if they could provide a list of the 899 cases, so that you can check against your own records.

 

[WesternLancer]

Oh dear! Yes, using a solicitor may be advisable given the sum they are asking, but in the first instance you might politely go back, express surprise at the amount due and number of instances, and ask if they could provide a list of the 899 cases, so that you can check against your own records.

Do exactly this in my view whilst also seeking quotes from one of the solicitors that gets mentioned here with experience in rail fare issues.

 

[enyoueffsea]

We often see people surprised at how many journeys and how much the total cost can be.

I know you say you’ve been doing this for “about a year”, 899 will be single journeys so that is just short of 450 return journeys. Accounting for days not commuting, weekends, holidays etc. this is probably closer to 2 or 3 years worth of travel - is that realistic?

They can and do make mistakes, so you can go back to them and ask for the breakdown. They’ll send you a spreadsheet of journeys to check.

Based on the sums being discussed here you really should be seeking representation from a solicitor.

 

[WesternLancer]

Hi, case update.
I have just recived a response to the letter I sent today, and it is absolutely outrageous. I was asked to pay £9,790.55 of unpaid fairs, for 899 journeys. I did not even commute to London that many times and only been using a wrong ticket for 1 year. This sounds very made up and now I will have to get the help of a solicitor as this sum is incorrect.

Has anything like this every happened before?

Thank you!

Have attached a photo of the new letter.

Your opening post does talk about travel with incorrect tickets for at least a year and what seems like misuse of railcards and short tickets iirc.

How many times do you think you have travelled without a correct ticket? Have you diligently checked your own records.

Remember if they consider you a fare evader they won’t be giving credit for the amount you did pay.

 

[furlong]

In a case like this be aware that your legal obligation is to put the train company back into the financial position it would have been in had you not cheated. I.e. to pay the difference between what you would have paid had you been honest and what you actually paid (plus additional incidental costs directly attributable to your behaviour). Sometimes this will be based on the cost of a season ticket. Train companies (quite outrageously) are regularly found to be demanding higher sums initially (i.e. attempting to profit from the alleged crimes) but with care - and if need be paid-for legal assistance - such sums can be challenged and if agreement can't be reached a court can weigh up the arguments and make a decision.

An example of this approach, where a large sum was involved:
Daily Telegraph

The City barrister, who was cautioned for fare dodging in 2010, was handed a 16-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered pay £5,892.70 in compensation to Chiltern Railways at City of London Magistrates.

Judge Omotosho said: "Looking at all the evidence in the round I am satisfied that a reasonable attempt has been made by the defendant to calculate loss to the company and in this case the actual loss is £5,892.70 and not the £19,689 as claimed."

As others already said, you need to start by making your own assessment of their actual loss (like Peter Barnett did) and obtaining the breakdown of the sum they have put to you, and then deciding if it's worth arguing over the difference and whether you want to try do that yourself initially or prefer to pay a lawyer to try.

 

[Haywain]

In a case like this be aware that the train company holds all the cards and can determine what it will take for them not to bring a prosecution. Claims about your legal obligations carry little weight because you already ignored your legal obligation to pay the correct fare. If you want to avoid prosecution you have to try and reach an expensive settlement. The alternative may well be financially cheaper but potentially more damaging, depending on your career.

 

[Titfield]

Hi, case update.
I have just recived a response to the letter I sent today, and it is absolutely outrageous. I was asked to pay £9,790.55 of unpaid fairs, for 899 journeys. I did not even commute to London that many times and only been using a wrong ticket for 1 year. This sounds very made up and now I will have to get the help of a solicitor as this sum is incorrect.

Has anything like this every happened before?

Thank you!

Have attached a photo of the new letter.

The clue is in the OPs original statement

I have been doing this commute for the past 3 years,

 

[island]

In a case like this be aware that your legal obligation is to put the train company back into the financial position it would have been in had you not cheated. I.e. to pay the difference between what you would have paid had you been honest and what you actually paid (plus additional incidental costs directly attributable to your behaviour). Sometimes this will be based on the cost of a season ticket. Train companies (quite outrageously) are regularly found to be demanding higher sums initially (i.e. attempting to profit from the alleged crimes) but with care - and if need be paid-for legal assistance - such sums can be challenged and if agreement can't be reached a court can weigh up the arguments and make a decision.

This is true only if one is willing to let the matter go to court.

Most of our posters have as their primary objective the avoidance of a criminal conviction.

 

[LiddiLars]

Thank you all for the responses. I have contacted Reeds Solicitors and I will have them represent me. My problem is that the only available date they have for an initial consultstion is the 10th of June, and my deadline is the 13th of June. I have made that clear to them and they had advised that they can request an extension.
Now, do I request the travel log from Southeaster on my own or wait for Reeds to do it (too close of a call with the deadline).
Because of the nature of the tickets, I personally wouldn't be able to tell when I started to take the HS1, but I do remember it was since last spring. I will try to find some evidenced of that and compare with what Southeastern will give me. After doing the math, it still does not equates to that 899 trips and that huge sum.

Also, hase there been an instance before where people have recived a deadline extension and have mannaged to get the sum down? I do not wish to go to court and have this in ma record.

Again thank you all!

 

[Fawkes Cat]

After doing the math, it still does not equates to that 899 trips and that huge sum.

We probably shouldn't ask you to show your working here, but
- remember to count each trip to London as one journey, and each trip back as another one (so two trips a day)
- think hard about how often you have done this, starting from how many days a week you go into London. You might think that (say) you go into London three times a week and only ever fare dodge on the first time each week: think hard about whether that's really true. It's very easy to underestimate how often you do something. So be brutally honest with yourself.
- now look at the number you have come up with. Is it something like 899? Or is it maybe something like 89 or 99? I'm thinking there's a possibility that someone's finger may have slipped when they put the number of journeys into the spreadsheet with the practical result that they are trying to charge you for (very roughly) ten times as many trips as they should be doing. Of course, that will get you nowhere if you reckon you have fare dodged 25 times (or 250 times i.e. some number which is wildly different from both what the railway have said, and from an easy typo of what they have said).

Now, do I request the travel log from Southeaster on my own or wait for Reeds to do it (too close of a call with the deadline).

In the circumstances, I think it makes sense to ask Southeastern for their figures sooner rather than later. If there's been some sort of miscalculation that may become obvious once they send it through, and you may be able to wrap the whole thing up once that's sorted out.