Caught Without Full Ticket – Need Advice on What to Do Next

[Its_Vijay]

Hi everyone,


I’m looking for advice and suggestions about a serious mistake I made.



I was travelling with my wife from Portslade to London Blackfriars for the past 8 months due to work. During this time, we were in a very difficult financial situation — both of us had lost our jobs earlier, and we were paying for my mother’s cancer treatment. We had no choice but to keep living in Portslade due to a tenancy contract, while working in London.





To save money, we were only buying partial season tickets and sometimes using discounted railcards for the remaining part of the journey. We now understand this was wrong, and we regret it deeply.





Two days ago, while getting off the train at Blackfriars, two officers stopped us before exiting and asked about our tickets. They showed us all the ticket history they had on record and asked several questions. It was clear they had everything.





This has caused me a lot of stress and shame. I feel horrible for putting myself and my wife in this situation. We’ve now moved to Purley to stop this kind of travel pattern and do things the right way, but it was too late.


I need advice:

• The officers clearly had our full travel history — does that mean we are in serious trouble?
• We were caught just two days ago — what should I do next?
• I’m ready to pay all fines and cooperate fully. I just want to resolve this and avoid a criminal record.

We are both hard-working and have learned a hard lesson. Any guidance on what steps I should take now would be very helpful.





Thank you so much.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Jul 2025 ==

Hi everyone,


I’m looking for advice and suggestions about a serious mistake I made.



I was travelling with my wife from Portslade to London Blackfriars for the past 8 months due to work. During this time, we were in a very difficult financial situation — both of us had lost our jobs earlier, and we were paying for my mother’s cancer treatment. We had no choice but to keep living in Portslade due to a tenancy contract, while working in London.





To save money, we were only buying partial season tickets and sometimes using discounted railcards for the remaining part of the journey. We now understand this was wrong, and we regret it deeply.





Two days ago, while getting off the train at Blackfriars, two officers stopped us before exiting and asked about our tickets. They showed us all the ticket history they had on record and asked several questions. It was clear they had everything.





This has caused me a lot of stress and shame. I feel horrible for putting myself and my wife in this situation. We’ve now moved to Purley to stop this kind of travel pattern and do things the right way, but it was too late.


I need advice:

• The officers clearly had our full travel history — does that mean we are in serious trouble?
• We were caught just two days ago — what should I do next?
• I’m ready to pay all fines and cooperate fully. I just want to resolve this and avoid a criminal record.

We are both hard-working and have learned a hard lesson. Any guidance on what steps I should take now would be very helpful.





Thank you so much.

Just to add — I gave the officers all my correct personal information, answered honestly, and they gave me a receipt after taking down the details.





Does this mean they are definitely going to prosecute, or is there still a chance to settle this?





I’m ready to pay the full fine and do whatever is needed to sort this out. I’ve never been in this kind of situation before and it’s really affecting me mentally.


Any advice on what usually happens next or what I should prepare for would really help. Thank you.

 

[Haywain]

Does this mean they are definitely going to prosecute, or is there still a chance to settle this?

There will still be a chance to settle this but it won't be cheap.

 

[Its_Vijay]

There will still be a chance to settle this but it won't be cheap.

I truly regret my mistake and accept responsibility. I’m ready to settle and pay, but I’m just really anxious — could you kindly give an idea of the possible cost?

 

[Haywain]

could you kindly give an idea of the possible cost?

No, because we don't know whst journey is involved, what tickets you have purchased or the number of times it has happened. However, we can deduce that it will be a significant sum because you were targeted and that is relatively unusual. It would cost GTR quite a lot just to put that in place.

 

[skyhigh]

We were caught just two days ago — what should I do next?

Wait for them to contact you.

If it was a targeted stop and they were looking for you, it's likely to be a very expensive settlement to keep this out of court.

Train companies will often use the Anytime Day Single fare to calculate settlements, ignoring the cost of any invalid or part fares bought. For Portslade to London Blackfriars this is £39.30.

Assuming a return journey made 20 days per month for 8 months, that figure could be as high as £12500 per person for you and your wife.

This is obviously a very significant sum, so would suggest that if the assumptions I have made are correct that it's possibly worth paying for professional legal advice.

 

[AlterEgo]

As you were targeted - something very rarely seen on this forum - one has to assume the fraud is in the thousands of pounds.

You need a solicitor. This is a serious matter.

 

[Hadders]

Welcome to the forum!

Based on what you've told us you and your wife have been committing fare evasion on an industrial scale. Many people would wonder how serious the fare evasion has to be to get prosecuted if a case like this doesn't.

That said, we have seen settlements offered in cases like this but it is likely to be very expensive.

Given that the states are very high in this case, I agree that engaging a solicitor specialising on rail fare evasion is probably the best way forward.

 

[Its_Vijay]

Welcome to the forum!

Based on what you've told us you and your wife have been committing fare evasion on an industrial scale. Many people would wonder how serious the fare evasion has to be to get prosecuted if a case like this doesn't.

That said, we have seen settlements offered in cases like this but it is likely to be very expensive.

Given that the states are very high in this case, I agree that engaging a solicitor specialising on rail fare evasion is probably the best way forward.

Thank you for your reply and advice — I really appreciate it.


Would you be able to suggest any solicitors who specialise in fare evasion cases? I’d like to get professional help to resolve this properly.

 

[enyoueffsea]

From your opening post it sounds like you have already admitted everything, is that true?

You really need a fare evasion specialist solicitor here.

 

[Haywain]

Would you be able to suggest any solicitors who specialise in fare evasion cases? I’d like to get professional help to resolve this properly.

If you search the forum you will find references to Manak, Makwana, and one or two others.

 

[furlong]

Train companies will often use the Anytime Day Single fare to calculate settlements, ignoring the cost of any invalid or part fares bought. For Portslade to London Blackfriars this is £39.30.

However this is not necessarily correct in law and if they do this, instead of asking for the additional cost of the longer distance season tickets you should have been purchasing instead of the "partial" ones you did, then a solicitor ought to be able to help you remind them.

Reference: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-34403023.amp

Barnett ...was ordered to pay back nearly £6,000.
...
Prosecutors had argued he should pay back £19,689, the full value of the cost of daily returns for the trips he made.

However, the defence claimed the value was a penalty imposed by the railway company rather than the true value, because if Barnett had bought a ticket it would have been a weekly one - rather than paying a daily fare.

 

[simonw]

However this is not necessarily correct in law and if they do this, instead of asking for the additional cost of the longer distance season tickets you should have been purchasing instead of the "partial" ones you did, then a solicitor ought to be able to help you remind them.

Reference: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-34403023.amp

The risk being that the op (with or without legal assistance) pushed back and the TOC decides to not negotiate on the penalty and take the pair to court.

At this point, I think it's best for this to be left firmly in the hands of a legal firm.

 

[AlterEgo]

The risk being that the op (with or without legal assistance) pushed back and the TOC decides to not negotiate on the penalty and take the pair to court.

At this point, I think it's best for this to be left firmly in the hands of a legal firm.

Also, if the value is thousands, and they’ve been the subject of surveillance and targeted for a stop, the TOC may consider being charges for fraud or passing the matter to the police.

Time for the OP to stop talking, and instruct a solicitor.

 

[furlong]

The risk being that the op (with or without legal assistance) pushed back and the TOC decides to not negotiate on the penalty and take the pair to court.

Why do you refer to this as a penalty? The train company (under the supervision of the DfT remember) has no authority to negotiate any penalty. This is merely the train company recouping money that should have been paid to it previously for the service provided. The only penalty it can impose is a Penalty Fare. (The OP and their lawyer also have other options for escalation in such a hypothetical situation. The starting assumption has to be that the train company will comply with all legal requirements.)

 

[jumble]

Why do you refer to this as a penalty? The train company (under the supervision of the DfT remember) has no authority to negotiate any penalty. This is merely the train company recouping money that should have been paid to it previously for the service provided. The only penalty it can impose is a Penalty Fare. (The OP and their lawyer also have other options for escalation in such a hypothetical situation. The starting assumption has to be that the train company will comply with all legal requirements.)

Well the defence lawyer in Barnet case referred it as a penalty and said the TOC were claiming more than should have been paid which in my view is the very definition of a penalty and apparently the judge agreed according to your previous post

 

[simonw]

Why do you refer to this as a penalty? The train company (under the supervision of the DfT remember) has no authority to negotiate any penalty. This is merely the train company recouping money that should have been paid to it previously for the service provided. The only penalty it can impose is a Penalty Fare. (The OP and their lawyer also have other options for escalation in such a hypothetical situation. The starting assumption has to be that the train company will comply with all legal requirements.)

Because in the real world people use words such a penalty (and fine) without adhering to the strict legal definition. And see @jumble s response.

 

[WesternLancer]

Thank you for your reply and advice — I really appreciate it.


Would you be able to suggest any solicitors who specialise in fare evasion cases? I’d like to get professional help to resolve this properly.

You should get quotes first from the legal firms mentioned in this thread.