Govia Thameslink Railway - Fine and no possible prosecution

[anonymoose]

HelloHi,

I've found myself in what could be a pretty bad situation and told to make a thread here for advice.

To be transparent completely transparent I purchased 2x tickets. One for myself and another party with an added JCP railcard. This was due to lack of funds at the time.

As we pulled up to Bedfordshire, two inspectors walked by asking us to present our tickets which I did and long story short a fine was issued to both of us. I proclaimed that the person I was with had no idea but their name was still taken but my address is where the fine was issued to. Two letters where then sent to my address maybe a month or so later stating that I had to pay the fine which I did not do. I'm currently unemployed and saw it as just another bill that needed to be paid off and didn't give it to focus or attention it needed. About two weeks ago I then received two more laters stating that I have been charged with an offence committed on the Govia Thameslink Railway service.

Im here to ask for some assistance as to what to do next but again in full transparency I've also left this so late that the 21 days I had to plead guilty or not guilty ends tomorrow. Is there anyway I can rectify this at all without a possible prosecution? Also could anybody explain what I should do about the on behalf of the other party.

If there's any questions, evidence needed please let me know
Thank you

 

[Titfield]

Please can you upload all the correspondence you have received with names addresses etc and reference numbers obscured?

Has your friend received any correspondence or have you received any correspondence for them?

The fines you received were (probably) Penalty Fares ? Have you got those you can upload (obscuring the names and reference numbers too)?

Did your friend pay the penalty fare (fine) given to them?

EDIT or did they think you would do it or you said you would do it?

My initial reaction is that you are going to have to plead not guilty to buy some time to try and resolve the matter with GTR before the court hearing date (which would be issued if you plead not guilty). If you plead guilty then the process will not allow you the time to try and resolve the matter with GTR.

EDIT 2

Have you tried to pay online what I think are Penalty Fares?

Do you have the money to pay the penalty fares?

Have you bought many tickets with a JCP discount? (even though you dont hold a JCP railcard)?

 

[anonymoose]

I have uploaded the most recent correspondence I have received below.

They have not, all the correspondence have been sent to my address.

Yes, they were penalty fares, not to hand but I'll try an get them now

No they have not. Thank you

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Oct 2025 ==

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== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Oct 2025 ==

Please can you upload all the correspondence you have received with names addresses etc and reference numbers obscured?

Has your friend received any correspondence or have you received any correspondence for them?

The fines you received were (probably) Penalty Fares ? Have you got those you can upload (obscuring the names and reference numbers too)?

Did your friend pay the penalty fare (fine) given to them?

EDIT or did they think you would do it or you said you would do it?

My initial reaction is that you are going to have to plead not guilty to buy some time to try and resolve the matter with GTR before the court hearing date (which would be issued if you plead not guilty). If you plead guilty then the process will not allow you the time to try and resolve the matter with GTR.

EDIT 2

Have you tried to pay online what I think are Penalty Fares?

Do you have the money to pay the penalty fares?

Have you bought many tickets with a JCP discount? (even though you dont hold a JCP railcard)?

I told them I would pay the fine on their behalf as they had nothing to do with it.

Ok, if it will by me more time then I'll make the plea but by the time I send this off I think will be outside of the 21 days I was given to reply.

Not at the moment if I'm being honest.

No, this was my first time.

 

[Titfield]

Hold fire a while at least until other forum members can comment.

If you plead guilty then you will receive a criminal record and have to pay a fine (based on your income*), a victim surcharge, the monies the railway company are seeking. However there is a 1/3rd discount off the fine if you plead guilty at the first opportunity (which is now).

If you are unemployed then they use a notional figure to calculate your income.

If you plead not guilty and the matter goes to court, you will be found guilty but you will not get the 1/3rd discount off the fine. ie it will cost you more money.

There is no guarantee if you plead not guilty that GTR will offer you an out of court settlement. They may decide not to because you did not pay the penalty fare.

Courts will allow a payment plan to be set up if you can not pay all the monies in one go. Train Companies have to be paid in one go (usually but certainly in a case like this).

I think you need to wait until some other forum members have commented. However a response will have to be sent tomorrow.

 

[tonycockram]

There’s a name on page three which is one of the two people involved I think. That needs covering up

 

[anonymoose]

T

There’s a name on page three which is one of the two people involved I think. That needs covering up

Thank you, does anyone know how I edit messages?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Oct 2025 ==

Hold fire a while at least until other forum members can comment.

If you plead guilty then you will receive a criminal record and have to pay a fine (based on your income*), a victim surcharge, the monies the railway company are seeking. However there is a 1/3rd discount off the fine if you plead guilty at the first opportunity (which is now).

If you are unemployed then they use a notional figure to calculate your income.

If you plead not guilty and the matter goes to court, you will be found guilty but you will not get the 1/3rd discount off the fine. ie it will cost you more money.

There is no guarantee if you plead not guilty that GTR will offer you an out of court settlement. They may decide not to because you did not pay the penalty fare.

Courts will allow a payment plan to be set up if you can not pay all the monies in one go. Train Companies have to be paid in one go (usually but certainly in a case like this).

I think you need to wait until some other forum members have commented. However a response will have to be sent tomorrow.

Ok, thank you for all the information. I appreciate the help.

 

[island]

Just to note that if you plead guilty you would need to pay all of these things:

• A fine, which will come out at one third of a week's income, or £40 if you are unwaged
• A surcharge of 40% of the fine, or £16 if you are unwaged
• £150 costs
• £21 compensation

The court is required to make an attachment of earnings or deduction from benefits order if it awards compensation, unless there is a good reason not to. A good reason might include that you are ready, willing, and able to pay the fine in full immediately (or within a month). Another might be that you are self-employed.

If you plead not guilty, the case will be put down for trial, probably several months into the future. You can use that time to negotiate with Thameslink on settling the matter outside of court. They will want paying in full of whatever sum that you agree on; time to pay is not generally available. If you don't successfully negotiate an out of court settlement, you can change your plea to guilty. The fine will be a bit higher.

 

[anonymoose]

Just to note that if you plead guilty you would need to pay all of these things:

• A fine, which will come out at one third of a week's income, or £40 if you are unwaged
• A surcharge of 40% of the fine, or £16 if you are unwaged
• £150 costs
• £21 compensation

The court is required to make an attachment of earnings or deduction from benefits order if it awards compensation, unless there is a good reason not to. A good reason might include that you are ready, willing, and able to pay the fine in full immediately (or within a month). Another might be that you are self-employed.

If you plead not guilty, the case will be put down for trial, probably several months into the future. You can use that time to negotiate with Thameslink on settling the matter outside of court. They will want paying in full of whatever sum that you agree on; time to pay is not generally available. If you don't successfully negotiate an out of court settlement, you can change your plea to guilty. The fine will be a bit higher.

Thank you, right now I plan to plead not guilty. I understand that settling out of court is not guaranteed but I'd appreciate any extra time I can have to figure this out.

If anybody else has any advice on what they think I should be feel free to add to the thread, any extra information would be appreciated before I sent my response off tomorrow.

 

[Titfield]

The pleading not guilty by filling in the forms is relatively straightforward. I would send this by signed for delivery. If you use this method it should get there by Monday.

As tomorrow is Friday I don't think the additional cost of Special Delivery (guaranteed next day delivery) is worthwhile as the court is closed on Saturday.

 

[Hadders]

If you want to avoid going to court then:

- Plead not guilty. Send the forms back to the court by Special Delivery to guarantee then getting there before the deadline
- Contact GTR Prosecutions Department and ask them (very nicely) is they will consider offering you an out of court settlement
- If they offer you a settlement you will need to be in a position to pay it in full straightaway
- Once the settlement is paid GTR will withdraw the court case

 

[WesternLancer]

Thank you, right now I plan to plead not guilty. I understand that settling out of court is not guaranteed but I'd appreciate any extra time I can have to figure this out.

If anybody else has any advice on what they think I should be feel free to add to the thread, any extra information would be appreciated before I sent my response off tomorrow.

Keep a copy of everything you send back to the court.

Then when you’ve done that on Friday you can get help over the weekend from here on what to write to GTR Thameslink to try to get this settled out of court. Where to send that to them etc.

Sadly this is now going to cost you significantly more than the £50 Penalty Fare had you paid that promptly in the first place.