Advice for SJPN - Byelaw 18(1)

[duffield]

...
I had wondered if a Royal Mail redirect that you could set up for the rest of the university term time (see https://www.royalmail.com/personal/receiving-mail/redirection ) might be an option - but looking briefly at that it seems to be geared up to permanent house moves and suggests the redirection is for a minimum of 3 months - which probably would not work for you.

You can cancel redirection at any time though, so although it's a slight waste of money to cancel before the three months, it might be worth it.

 

[WesternLancer]

You can cancel redirection at any time though, so although it's a slight waste of money to cancel before the three months, it might be worth it.

Thanks - that's really helpful info - I think the OP should do this if really is no one at the home address to check for stuff from court etc on a frequent basis between now and the end of university term etc

I agree on waste of money but it's a lot less money than the consequences of missing court or related paperwork in terms of the time / trouble costs/ of then sorting that out

 

[ebolo]

Pleading not guilty is the only way to pull the emergency brake. You aren't losing out on much by doing this; even if you can't reach a settlement, magistrates are usually quite reasonable about fine discounts if you show you were trying to resolve things properly.

1. You don't need to overthink the "reason for pleading not guilty" box. Don't worry about a technical legal defence. Just write: "I am currently in active negotiations with the Prosecution (GTR) regarding an out-of-court settlement. I have provided them with mitigating evidence and require more time for their legal team to conclude their review of the case."

2. Once you send that plea, the case gets pulled from the automated stream and sent to a physical court to be listed. You’re looking at a window of about four to eight weeks before a hearing date is even set. This is your prime time to get GTR to agree to a settlement. If they do, they’ll just withdraw the prosecution, and the court date disappears.

3. Leave the mitigating circumstances box completely blank. Mitigation only matters if you've already been convicted or have pleaded guilty.

4. You can hold onto the MC100 form for now. Since you're pleading not guilty, the court doesn't need your financial details yet; they’d only need those if you were eventually convicted at a hearing. As for the address, use your permanent home address. If this drags on into the summer, you don't want a settlement offer or a court summons sitting in a college pigeonhole or a vacated student flat while you're away. Use the address where you know someone will open your mail and tell you about it immediately.

Get the plea form in the post tomorrow via Special Delivery so it hits the court by the 21st.

Thank you all so much for the guidance. I sent off the SJPN papers this morning and will reach the court by tomorrow.

Ref your final question about address - I too agree that you should use your permanent home address - but it seems that you are saying at the moment there is no one at that home address who can check your post on a frequent and regular basis?
Is there no trusted neighbour or family friend living nearby who could do this for you if the address is not occupied whilst you are at your university term time address?
How far away is it from you - would it be feasible for you to go and check post there once a week - or would that result in a lot of expensive train fares.

Regarding the address, that is a valid point. I'm looking into the Royal Mail redirection option as a safety net, but in the meantime, I'm planning to travel back home once a week to check the mailbox. It's a bit of a hassle, but definitely worth it to make sure I don't miss any deadlines from the court or GTR.

That being said, I really hope GTR will communicate via e-mail after their review, as that would make things much easier. Also, does anyone know what is the typical timeline for hearing back from the court after a Not Guilty plea? I want to know when I should be extra vigilant with the mail.

 

[WesternLancer]

Thank you all so much for the guidance. I sent off the SJPN papers this morning and will reach the court by tomorrow.

Good work in moving this on - it seemed to me that you had little options other than that

Regarding the address, that is a valid point. I'm looking into the Royal Mail redirection option as a safety net, but in the meantime, I'm planning to travel back home once a week to check the mailbox. It's a bit of a hassle, but definitely worth it to make sure I don't miss any deadlines from the court or GTR.

Your approach is probably a good one so long as the fares back to where home is does not cost you too much

I've had problems with Royal Mail redirect - it tends to work OK most of the time but occasionally their systems can miss postage being forwarded (although I htink it's pretty reliable)- so checking your own post as you suggest is o bad idea if you can do it.

That being said, I really hope GTR will communicate via e-mail after their review, as that would make things much easier.

Fingers crossed

Also, does anyone know what is the typical timeline for hearing back from the court after a Not Guilty plea? I want to know when I should be extra vigilant with the mail.

Not sure on this

However, this is another window in which to get it sorted so you have to hope you will hear from GTR sooner rather than later. But you may need to prepare to remind them / chase them again.

Hopefully someone will know how long it will be before the court might expect to write to you with as hearing date - which may well be some time off (the hearing date that is, as opposed to a letter telling you when that date is)

 

[ebolo]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to provide a quick update on my case and thank you all for providing guidance so far.

To summarise my current position since the beginning:

• SJPN received back in early April.
• Settlement request sent to GTR Prosecutions team on the 8th April. A follow-up e-mail was sent on 15th April.
• Received an email response from GTR Prosecutions team on 16th April stating the matter is under review by the GTR legal team. Called the dedicated phone line on 17th April, but was told they cannot rush the process and have to wait for the decision after review.
• Plea "Not Guilty" to make sure that I met the 21-day deadline. I did not return the MC100 form based on advice that it was unnecessary for this plea.

I am currently waiting to hear back from GTR regarding the settlement review. I have checked my home mailbox yesterday (Sunday) but have not receive any further mail from the court or GTR. I also set up Royal Mail Redirection (should be in effect as of today) so I don't miss any important deadlines while I am away from home.

As I am waiting for the process to unfold, does anyone have advice on what I should expect in the meantime, or if there is anything else I should be proactively monitoring? Any further insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[WesternLancer]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to provide a quick update on my case and thank you all for providing guidance so far.

To summarise my current position since the beginning:

• SJPN received back in early April.
• Settlement request sent to GTR Prosecutions team on the 8th April. A follow-up e-mail was sent on 15th April.
• Received an email response from GTR Prosecutions team on 16th April stating the matter is under review by the GTR legal team. Called the dedicated phone line on 17th April, but was told they cannot rush the process and have to wait for the decision after review.
• Plea "Not Guilty" to make sure that I met the 21-day deadline. I did not return the MC100 form based on advice that it was unnecessary for this plea.

I am currently waiting to hear back from GTR regarding the settlement review. I have checked my home mailbox yesterday (Sunday) but have not receive any further mail from the court or GTR. I also set up Royal Mail Redirection (should be in effect as of today) so I don't miss any important deadlines while I am away from home.

As I am waiting for the process to unfold, does anyone have advice on what I should expect in the meantime, or if there is anything else I should be proactively monitoring? Any further insight would be greatly appreciated.

I think your next 'deadline ' is effectively the court date - ie your need to achieve the settlement before the court hearing date - so a window of time you are now in

the question is I am not sure how long before the date for the court hearing is communicated with you by the court -

Someone here might know how soon you can typically expect to get that date from he court.

if you don't hear from the court with that date, or GTR with an offer, it may be worth contacting GTR again in a couple of weeks

If you do hear from the court before then, giving you a date in the future - head back here because you can review the time line that the court date creates and decide what to do and when, vis a vis that date.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Apr 2026 ==

Hi everyone,

I wanted to provide a quick update on my case and thank you all for providing guidance so far.

To summarise my current position since the beginning:

• SJPN received back in early April.
• Settlement request sent to GTR Prosecutions team on the 8th April. A follow-up e-mail was sent on 15th April.
• Received an email response from GTR Prosecutions team on 16th April stating the matter is under review by the GTR legal team. Called the dedicated phone line on 17th April, but was told they cannot rush the process and have to wait for the decision after review.
• Plea "Not Guilty" to make sure that I met the 21-day deadline. I did not return the MC100 form based on advice that it was unnecessary for this plea.

I am currently waiting to hear back from GTR regarding the settlement review. I have checked my home mailbox yesterday (Sunday) but have not receive any further mail from the court or GTR. I also set up Royal Mail Redirection (should be in effect as of today) so I don't miss any important deadlines while I am away from home.

As I am waiting for the process to unfold, does anyone have advice on what I should expect in the meantime, or if there is anything else I should be proactively monitoring? Any further insight would be greatly appreciated.

You might want to check post #7 in this thread - just posted - as a way of moving things along:

Thameslink SJPN - No prior contact received? - Expired railcard

Hi everyone, I’m looking for some advice on a Single Justice Procedure Notice I received today from Thameslink. Basically, in October 2025 I took a train from Brighton to Gatwick and when they checked my ticket at the gate at Gatwick I realised my railcard was expired by a month. I was then...

www.railforums.co.uk

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 May 2026 ==

Hi everyone,

I wanted to provide a quick update on my case and thank you all for providing guidance so far.

To summarise my current position since the beginning:

• SJPN received back in early April.
• Settlement request sent to GTR Prosecutions team on the 8th April. A follow-up e-mail was sent on 15th April.
• Received an email response from GTR Prosecutions team on 16th April stating the matter is under review by the GTR legal team. Called the dedicated phone line on 17th April, but was told they cannot rush the process and have to wait for the decision after review.
• Plea "Not Guilty" to make sure that I met the 21-day deadline. I did not return the MC100 form based on advice that it was unnecessary for this plea.

I am currently waiting to hear back from GTR regarding the settlement review. I have checked my home mailbox yesterday (Sunday) but have not receive any further mail from the court or GTR. I also set up Royal Mail Redirection (should be in effect as of today) so I don't miss any important deadlines while I am away from home.

As I am waiting for the process to unfold, does anyone have advice on what I should expect in the meantime, or if there is anything else I should be proactively monitoring? Any further insight would be greatly appreciated.

Hi @ebolo. Have you had any luck with progress recently?

Just trying to give advice on another similar thread so wondered if you’d got anywhere yet, given that @Brightoner96 seemed to have some recent luck.

 

[ebolo]

Sorry for the lack of response lately. There have been a lot of moving parts recently that have kept me busy.

Hi @ebolo. Have you had any luck with progress recently?

Just trying to give advice on another similar thread so wondered if you’d got anywhere yet, given that @Brightoner96 seemed to have some recent luck.

Unfortunately, there has been no progress since I sent off the court papers. I still haven’t received anything from either GTR or the court. I have also been checking my e-mails daily since GTR's response on April 16th, but I haven't had any further reply from them.

Thanks for directing me to the other post, and I’m glad that it was resolved for the user over there. It might be a good idea to give GTR another call on the next working day.

 

[WesternLancer]

Sorry for the lack of response lately. There have been a lot of moving parts recently that have kept me busy.


Unfortunately, there has been no progress since I sent off the court papers. I still haven’t received anything from either GTR or the court. I have also been checking my e-mails daily since GTR's response on April 16th, but I haven't had any further reply from them.

Thanks for directing me to the other post, and I’m glad that it was resolved for the user over there. It might be a good idea to give GTR another call on the next working day.

Thanks for updating.

This is frustrating.

Have the court yet sent a date for the court hearing? That gives you a timescale. If they have not then at least you know there is time still.

It sounds like it would be worth trying to ring GTR given brightoner’s experience on the other thread. And maybe follow that up with a letter to GTR at the end of this week or start of next week.

The final fall back is going to the court on the day early on, seeking out the prosecutor and agreeing a settlement on the day, paying it then and there. We’ve seen cases of that happening. But not got to that stage yet.

 

[ebolo]

Have the court yet sent a date for the court hearing? That gives you a timescale. If they have not then at least you know there is time still.

Not yet at the moment, so I guess it's good to know there is still time to resolve this out of court.

It sounds like it would be worth trying to ring GTR given brightoner’s experience on the other thread. And maybe follow that up with a letter to GTR at the end of this week or start of next week.

Sounds like a good idea, will give GTR's phone line another try and hopefully get the same outcome as in the other thread.

The final fall back is going to the court on the day early on, seeking out the prosecutor and agreeing a settlement on the day, paying it then and there. We’ve seen cases of that happening. But not got to that stage yet.

It's good to know that all hope isn't lost even on the day of the hearing, though I really hope it doesn't come to that stage.

 

[WesternLancer]

Not yet at the moment, so I guess it's good to know there is still time to resolve this out of court.


Sounds like a good idea, will give GTR's phone line another try and hopefully get the same outcome as in the other thread.


It's good to know that all hope isn't lost even on the day of the hearing, though I really hope it doesn't come to that stage.

If the court haven’t yet given you a date you could have some weeks yet to resolve it with GTR.

Not sure how fast court gives the hearing dates for in person ‘not guilty’ pleas.

 

[ebolo]

Hi all - Quick update following two phone calls with GTR Prosecutions Team:

Yesterday afternoon, I called to check whether there had been any update on my case, especially from the legal team as the email reply about further review was three weeks ago. They said there was no update at the time of the call, and the legal team was unavailable. They could see on the system that I had entered a not guilty plea, and that the next thing I should expect is the court hearing date. They mentioned that I could contact the court to ask for any updates about my case.

This morning, I called again at around 9:00am. They confirmed again that they can see my plea on the system, and that we are now waiting on the court hearing date. I explained that I entered a not guilty plea because I am still hoping to resolve the matter out of court and wanted to keep the matter open while the legal team review was ongoing.

I asked whether they could confirm receipt of my settlement letter, but they said they could not tell me anything about that. They also said that I may or may not hear back from the legal team, and that once I receive a court hearing date, I can ring back on the same number to see whether there is any update from the legal team.

So at the moment, it sounds like the case is now moving along the court track, but I may still be able to check again once the hearing date arrives. That being said, is there anything that anyone would recommend me doing at this moment?

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Hi all - Quick update following two phone calls with GTR Prosecutions Team:

Yesterday afternoon, I called to check whether there had been any update on my case, especially from the legal team as the email reply about further review was three weeks ago. They said there was no update at the time of the call, and the legal team was unavailable. They could see on the system that I had entered a not guilty plea, and that the next thing I should expect is the court hearing date. They mentioned that I could contact the court to ask for any updates about my case.

This morning, I called again at around 9:00am. They confirmed again that they can see my plea on the system, and that we are now waiting on the court hearing date. I explained that I entered a not guilty plea because I am still hoping to resolve the matter out of court and wanted to keep the matter open while the legal team review was ongoing.

I asked whether they could confirm receipt of my settlement letter, but they said they could not tell me anything about that. They also said that I may or may not hear back from the legal team, and that once I receive a court hearing date, I can ring back on the same number to see whether there is any update from the legal team.

So at the moment, it sounds like the case is now moving along the court track, but I may still be able to check again once the hearing date arrives. That being said, is there anything that anyone would recommend me doing at this moment?

Realistically, I think all you can do is wait for them to get back to you. You know that your email is with them: it's now for the railway to decide if they can let you settle after all, or if they're set on taking you to court.

So wait to see if you get a court date, or a response from the prosecutions team.

 

[Puffing Devil]

If the case proceeds to court, there is still a chance it may be settled on the day, as prosecutors often resolve cases at the last minute. We can assist if you do not reach a resolution before your court date, though I hope a settlement will be possible. You are taking the right approach by reminding GTR of your preference to settle rather than go to court. Please continue this effort to help prevent the case from moving forward to prosecution.

 

[WesternLancer]

Hi all - Quick update following two phone calls with GTR Prosecutions Team:

Yesterday afternoon, I called to check whether there had been any update on my case, especially from the legal team as the email reply about further review was three weeks ago. They said there was no update at the time of the call, and the legal team was unavailable. They could see on the system that I had entered a not guilty plea, and that the next thing I should expect is the court hearing date. They mentioned that I could contact the court to ask for any updates about my case.

This morning, I called again at around 9:00am. They confirmed again that they can see my plea on the system, and that we are now waiting on the court hearing date. I explained that I entered a not guilty plea because I am still hoping to resolve the matter out of court and wanted to keep the matter open while the legal team review was ongoing.

I asked whether they could confirm receipt of my settlement letter, but they said they could not tell me anything about that. They also said that I may or may not hear back from the legal team, and that once I receive a court hearing date, I can ring back on the same number to see whether there is any update from the legal team.

So at the moment, it sounds like the case is now moving along the court track, but I may still be able to check again once the hearing date arrives. That being said, is there anything that anyone would recommend me doing at this moment?

Most frustrating but sound advice from others since you posted that.

V helpful to others I think to be able to read what happened when you called so thanks for posting.

I suspect there is a strong element of ‘gatekeeping’ by anyone who has to answer calls to this department.

One thing to ask. Was there anything about your case or your ticket history that you can think might make them less likely to wish to settle out of court? Given we know this rail operator settles in almost every case we see.

 

[ebolo]

Thank you all again for the advice.

One thing to ask. Was there anything about your case or your ticket history that you can think might make them less likely to wish to settle out of court? Given we know this rail operator settles in almost every case we see.

On the top of my mind, the fact that I only thought about the Advance ticket later may have made the case a bit complicated? I’m not sure how much weight GTR has given that, but from my side I’ve just been trying to be honest and resolve it out of court if possible.

If there are any specific factors people think usually push a case toward court rather than settlement, I’d be interested to know so I can reflect on it properly.

 

[WesternLancer]

Thank you all again for the advice.


On the top of my mind, the fact that I only thought about the Advance ticket later may have made the case a bit complicated? I’m not sure how much weight GTR has given that, but from my side I’ve just been trying to be honest and resolve it out of court if possible.

If there are any specific factors people think usually push a case toward court rather than settlement, I’d be interested to know so I can reflect on it properly.

No. That’s not the kind of issue they would have beef with I don’t think.

I was thinking more like a track record if penalty fares, evidence if longer term suspicious ticket buying, abuse of staff when stopped etc etc.

 

[MotCO]

Thank you all again for the advice.


On the top of my mind, the fact that I only thought about the Advance ticket later may have made the case a bit complicated? I’m not sure how much weight GTR has given that, but from my side I’ve just been trying to be honest and resolve it out of court if possible.

I had wondered whether holding an Advance ticket was an advantage or disadvantage. On the plus side, it shows that you had not originally intended to evade fares, but on the minus side, you had entered a train without holding a valid ticket. The word 'valid' is important. You held a valid ticket, but not for that train, so that renders it invalid. I don't think you have any defence against a Section 18(1) offence.

On balance, I think it may be an advantage to mention it, although you did know it was invalid, since it does suggest you wanted to buy a ticket and not evade the fare. The question the TOC may ask is why, if you knew the ticket was invalid, did you not buy a new one before boarding. If you were not aware you needed a ticket before boarding, why did you not buy one as soon as you sat down on the train? In your own words, you only bought a ticket when you saw the inspectors (and panicked). This does tend towards 'fare evasion'. I'm not casting aspersions, I'm just trying to point out how the TOC may be viewing your case.

 

[WesternLancer]

I had wondered whether holding an Advance ticket was an advantage or disadvantage. On the plus side, it shows that you had not originally intended to evade fares, but on the minus side, you had entered a train without holding a valid ticket. The word 'valid' is important. You held a valid ticket, but not for that train, so that renders it invalid. I don't think you have any defence against a Section 18(1) offence.

On balance, I think it may be an advantage to mention it, although you did know it was invalid, since it does suggest you wanted to buy a ticket and not evade the fare. The question the TOC may ask is why, if you knew the ticket was invalid, did you not buy a new one before boarding. If you were not aware you needed a ticket before boarding, why did you not buy one as soon as you sat down on the train? In your own words, you only bought a ticket when you saw the inspectors (and panicked). This does tend towards 'fare evasion'. I'm not casting aspersions, I'm just trying to point out how the TOC may be viewing your case.

Whilst these are fair points indeed, you have to wonder why a train company that regularly settles out of court would spend that much time thinking about these aspects.

Maybe the fact that they might be mulling over the minutiae of this is an indication of why they can’t get their standard letters out to people they have stopped and questioned faster…. And thus end up issuing SJPN papers to people when they are hard up against the six months deadline, which they are entitled to do but clearly have a procedure if not an overt policy of seeking to get passengers engaged in things.

The OP here has clearly been trying to engage so it seems u fair to me that they don’t just let that happen, take the money offferd and move to the next case needing to be dealt with.

No doubt the revenue protection back office team would have ‘their version of events’ as they like to say I guess. And I bet they are totally overworked given how much fare evasion goes on on GTR.

 

[AlterEgo]

I had wondered whether holding an Advance ticket was an advantage or disadvantage. On the plus side, it shows that you had not originally intended to evade fares, but on the minus side, you had entered a train without holding a valid ticket. The word 'valid' is important. You held a valid ticket, but not for that train, so that renders it invalid. I don't think you have any defence against a Section 18(1) offence.

On balance, I think it may be an advantage to mention it, although you did know it was invalid, since it does suggest you wanted to buy a ticket and not evade the fare. The question the TOC may ask is why, if you knew the ticket was invalid, did you not buy a new one before boarding. If you were not aware you needed a ticket before boarding, why did you not buy one as soon as you sat down on the train? In your own words, you only bought a ticket when you saw the inspectors (and panicked). This does tend towards 'fare evasion'. I'm not casting aspersions, I'm just trying to point out how the TOC may be viewing your case.

GTR don't care. They settle all the time. All that is required here is for the prosecutor to eventually read the OP'S correspondence. They think about these cases less than we do.

 

[ebolo]

Hi all, a quick update:

Received a court summoning letter today, and the hearing is listed 10th June 2026 in the morning. Still no further word from GTR legal team or Prosecution team since the last update from them.

Very grateful for any thoughts on sensible next steps and in the next four weeks before the hearing - particularly whether it's worth one more written attempt at settlement or even another call attempt, and at what point I should consider changing my plea to preserve credit if no settlement materialises.

 

[WesternLancer]

Hi all, a quick update:

Received a court summoning letter today, and the hearing is listed 10th June 2026 in the morning. Still no further word from GTR legal team or Prosecution team since the last update from them.

Very grateful for any thoughts on sensible next steps and in the next four weeks before the hearing - particularly whether it's worth one more written attempt at settlement or even another call attempt, and at what point I should consider changing my plea to preserve credit if no settlement materialises.

Sorry to hear this - continuing frustration

My suggestions:

A) - I would certainly write to GTR again (hard copy) - Keep it brief eg

"
Your Ref: xxxxx (also maybe include any court case ref number now given)
I'm writing further to my previous correspondence (copy attached) regarding this incident.
I have now received a date from the court of xx June for the hearing
However, I remain keen to settle this matter without court action
I wonder if you have had a chance to consider my previous letter and I would be most grateful if you could let me know if an opportunity to settle this out of court might be available
My full contact details for ease of communication are......
etc"

- we are also seeing that GTR have not introduced a portal where people can upload letters to them but no idea if that would work if your case did not start off with that portal being available, but you could try it (link is on other recent threads which I have seen today - I'll find one if you need it) - I would not use that portal only, but maybe upload as well as hard copy post

B) - Youve got 4 weeks nearly till the court date so you could try ringing them a week to 10 days after this letter gets delivered

c) Up thread @Puffing Devil mentioned the next option if A & B fail, which is to get to the court early on the day of the hearing, seek out prosecutor and ask for a settlement then and there (we have seen this happen - prosecutor agrees, rings GTR and settlement payment is taken then and there over the phone, case withdrawn from that days hearing by the prosecutor) - I can't see anything to lose by trying this on the day.

@Puffing Devil may be able to offer more view / advice on this so you can weigh it up as a course of action and how best to go about it in practice (you would be going to the court anyway so I can't see much to lose by doing so)

D)

at what point I should consider changing my plea to preserve credit if no settlement materialises

I'm not sure what you mean by "preserve credit" - can you explain?

I believe your fine would be reduced by pleading guilty (but I think I have read here that you can secure that reduction even on the day by changing plea - eg if you found prosecutor, they do not agree to the settlement at the last minute on the day, then indicate to court you intend to change your plea if that will secure a court fine reduction - but I'd welcome a court experts view on this question.
It may be that @Puffing Devil or @island would know if this is correct.

I hope all this helps.

Maybe get drafting another letter to GTR as per (A) above for checking here

 

[Puffing Devil]

I would definitely proceed with the written communications as suggested by @WesternLancer Sending a brief and formal hard copy letter to the GTR prosecution team is the right move to ensure your offer is physically on the case file. You should also try the portal if it is available, but do not rely on it alone. If you do not hear anything back after a week or so, following up with a phone call is a sensible way to try to get a human to look at your settlement offer before the hearing date.

If it does end up as a hearing, and you are unable to settle on the day, the court should still allow the maximum discount for a prompt guilty plea if you are unable to settle before the matter is called on. It is important to note that this first appearance is not a trial, and any discount applies only to the fine element of any sentence, not the costs or compensation.

The guidelines for this are quite clear. A guilty plea at the first stage of proceedings, which is usually the first hearing where a charge can be indicated, earns you a one-third reduction in the fine. If you wait until after that first stage, the reduction drops to a maximum of one quarter and continues to slide down as the case moves toward a trial date. Making your position clear at the first hearing is the best way to ensure you get the full credit if a settlement is not possible.

 

[ebolo]

Thank you both, this is genuinely helpful and gives me a clear plan for the next few weeks.

I'm not sure what you mean by "preserve credit" - can you explain?

I meant the reduction on the fine if I were to change my plea later, which you and Puffing Devil have both answered. Would be very grateful if you could share the portal link when you have a moment.

A guilty plea at the first stage of proceedings, which is usually the first hearing where a charge can be indicated, earns you a one-third reduction in the fine.

One clarifying question on the reduction point: my court summoning letter describes the reason for the referral to court as "For trial". Does that "first stage of proceedings" still apply in the current situation, given that June 10th is technically written as the trial date rather than a first hearing? I want to make sure I'm reading this right, since slight change of language could mean totally different things in the current circumstances.

Separately, any general suggestions or shared experiences regarding hiring a solicitor for railway prosecutions would be appreciated - happy to take recommendations on what to look for in terms of qualities and expertise, and any specific firm names.

I'll get the letter drafted and posted this week, and will update the thread once I hear anything substantive.

 

[island]

One clarifying question on the reduction point: my court summoning letter describes the reason for the referral to court as "For trial". Does that "first stage of proceedings" still apply in the current situation, given that June 10th is technically written as the trial date rather than a first hearing?

A guilty plea on the day of trial normally attracts a 10% discount on the fine.

That being said the difference between 10% and a third is unlikely to amount to very much, the fine is usually no more than a few hundred pounds, the main financial imposition is compensation and costs, which aren't reduced.

 

[WesternLancer]

I would definitely proceed with the written communications as suggested by @WesternLancer Sending a brief and formal hard copy letter to the GTR prosecution team is the right move to ensure your offer is physically on the case file. You should also try the portal if it is available, but do not rely on it alone. If you do not hear anything back after a week or so, following up with a phone call is a sensible way to try to get a human to look at your settlement offer before the hearing date.

If it does end up as a hearing, and you are unable to settle on the day, the court should still allow the maximum discount for a prompt guilty plea if you are unable to settle before the matter is called on. It is important to note that this first appearance is not a trial, and any discount applies only to the fine element of any sentence, not the costs or compensation.

The guidelines for this are quite clear. A guilty plea at the first stage of proceedings, which is usually the first hearing where a charge can be indicated, earns you a one-third reduction in the fine. If you wait until after that first stage, the reduction drops to a maximum of one quarter and continues to slide down as the case moves toward a trial date. Making your position clear at the first hearing is the best way to ensure you get the full credit if a settlement is not possible.

Thanks for posting this. Just the sort of clarifications I hoped could be added to the thread.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 May 2026 ==

Thank you both, this is genuinely helpful and gives me a clear plan for the next few weeks.

I meant the reduction on the fine if I were to change my plea later, which you and Puffing Devil have both answered.

Thanks for clarifying

“Would be very grateful if you could share the portal link when you have a moment.”

See post 16 of this thread. The letters uploaded there have a link about a portal mentioned at the end, on third page I think. Please say if you can find it / see it.

No idea how or if it will work for you as it’s a new thing. Only seen it mentioned on this forum in last two weeks or so in recent threads

No railcard

Hello, I was caught by a ticket inspector travelling from London to Gatwick on 24 Feb on a 26-30 railcard ticket with no railcard. I genuinely made a mistake and bought the wrong ticket/didnt notice it was on there (the discount) as I had a migraine and was in a rush going to the airport. I...

www.railforums.co.uk

One clarifying question on the reduction point: my court summoning letter describes the reason for the referral to court as "For trial". Does that "first stage of proceedings" still apply in the current situation, given that June 10th is technically written as the trial date rather than a first hearing? I want to make sure I'm reading this right, since slight change of language could mean totally different things in the current circumstances.

Separately, any general suggestions or shared experiences regarding hiring a solicitor for railway prosecutions would be appreciated - happy to take recommendations on what to look for in terms of qualities and expertise, and any specific firm names.

You are probably looking at fees to a solicitor of £600 or more but it is an option.

There's a list of specialist firms that get mentioned on the forum by people who have used them. I’ll dig it out*.
You could always seek quotes over the next week or so from firms.

*EDIT - here is the list - these are firms that over the years people who have used them have mentioned on the forum - I have no connection with any of them nor have ever used them myself.
Perhaps the first thing to do before ringing any of them is probably to use the forum search tool to find cases where people have used them, to see what those people say about the firms concerned.


Manak Solicitors

Fare Evasion Solicitors | Kent & London | Manak Solicitors

Manak Solicitors: Skilled legal defence for fare evasion cases. Rely on our experienced team to protect your rights, challenge penalties, and guide you through the process.

manaksolicitors.co.uk


Makwanas


Fare Evasion Solicitors London | High Success Rate | TFL Solicitors

Facing prosecution for fare evasion? Our expert fare evasion solicitors in London fight to protect your record. With deep expertise in TFL solicitors' defence, we help you avoid fines, criminal convictions, and lasting consequences. Act now—secure expert legal representation today!

www.makwanas.co.uk


http://www.grayhooperholt.co.uk/default.asp?id=30


https://penmansedgwick.com/fare-evasion/

 

[Puffing Devil]

One clarifying question on the reduction point: my court summoning letter describes the reason for the referral to court as "For trial". Does that "first stage of proceedings" still apply in the current situation, given that June 10th is technically written as the trial date rather than a first hearing? I want to make sure I'm reading this right, since slight change of language could mean totally different things in the current circumstances.

I think the next step is to see exactly what the court has sent you so we can be precise about what the June 10th appearance is listed as, and what the court expects you to have done before then. That will also help you avoid the risk of higher trial‑level costs if you later decide to change your plea.

Could you upload clear photos or scans of everything you’ve received from the court (not GTR), with your details covered up? In particular, it would be useful to see:

• The full court summons/notice that mentions the June 10th hearing (all pages).
• Any separate “Notice of Hearing”, “Notice of Trial” or “Preparation for Trial / case‑management directions” sheets that came with it.
• Any evidence or witness‑statement notices sent via the court (for example, anything headed “Section 9 Criminal Justice Act 1967” or “written witness statement”).

Before posting, please cover your name, address, date of birth, case reference/URN, barcodes and any other identifying numbers. Once we can see the wording (with those bits hidden), people here can say with much more certainty whether this is truly listed as a trial, what directions you’ve already been given, and what your options are to minimise costs and risk.

 

[ebolo]

Thank you all - really appreciate the solicitor list and the steer on what to upload.

I've attached the court summons below with my details blacked out. This two-page summons is the only thing I've received from the court with no other separate sheets that have been mentioned. There is a witness statement, but it's the one inside the original SJPN pack rather than anything the court has sent separately. Would that be worth uploading too, or is it not relevant at this stage?

 

[Puffing Devil]

From the summons you have posted, the court has gone straight to listing a full trial, without a separate pre‑trial review or case‑management hearing in between. This is unfortunate, but it seems to be happening more and more as the goal is to resolve matters in courts with fewer hearings.

That means you should now treat 10 June as a real trial date, not as a first appearance or an administrative review. GTR will be preparing on the basis that this is the trial: they will have to consider which witnesses to call, review the inspector’s statement, check the file and be ready to present the case. In other words, from the court’s point of view, the case has moved into the trial phase.

Once a case is listed for trial and the prosecutor has done work to get it ready, they are entitled to ask the court for higher prosecution costs to reflect that preparation, rather than the much lower figure that would apply on an early guilty plea. For guidance for magistrates’ courts costs are around £85 for an early guilty plea, around £400 for a late guilty plea on the day of trial, and around £650 for a full trial if you are found guilty. This should give you an idea of how costs escalate as a case approaches or reaches trial. GTR are not the CPS, but they will usually pitch their cost request in a way that reflects whether they have had to prepare for and attend a trial.

You therefore have a genuine cost–benefit decision to make now. One option is to keep your not‑guilty plea and run up to the trial date, continuing to chase GTR for an out‑of‑court settlement. That keeps alive the possibility that they may still agree to withdraw the prosecution, even very late in the day, and it also leaves open the chance of a “court‑door” settlement if you speak to the prosecutor on the morning of the hearing. The downside is that if no settlement materialises and you change your plea to guilty on the day, you will be doing so at a point where GTR can legitimately say they have done the work for a contested hearing and ask for trial‑level or late‑plea costs, not the cheaper early‑plea figure.

A second option is to accept that GTR may not settle and change your plea to guilty before the trial, so the court can sentence without a contested hearing. That means accepting a conviction and its implications, but it allows the court to treat this as a case resolved without trial, with correspondingly lower prosecution costs. As we've already said, sentencing guidelines also link the level of credit for a guilty plea to how early it is indicated, so changing course in advance rather than at the door of the courtroom is generally better both for the fine and for costs.

A third option is to instruct a solicitor with experience of railway prosecutions. A solicitor cannot guarantee a settlement, but they may be more effective at getting someone at GTR to look at your file properly and respond to your existing offers, and they can also manage the court process so that, if a settlement is not possible, any guilty plea is entered and dealt with in a way that minimises the financial damage. You would, of course, have to pay their fees, but the idea is that this buys you a better chance of avoiding trial altogether and, even if not, keeps control over the timing of any plea and the level of costs you face.

In short, the court has moved you into a trial listing on 10 June, and GTR will be preparing on that basis. From here, the key decision is how much additional cost and risk you are willing to carry in the hope of a late settlement, and at what point you would prefer to cut your losses by changing your plea rather than allowing the matter to become a fully contested trial.

 

[WesternLancer]

Thank you all - really appreciate the solicitor list and the steer on what to upload.

I've attached the court summons below with my details blacked out. This two-page summons is the only thing I've received from the court with no other separate sheets that have been mentioned. There is a witness statement, but it's the one inside the original SJPN pack rather than anything the court has sent separately. Would that be worth uploading too, or is it not relevant at this stage?

I just wondered if you had had anything helpful from GTR by any chance, in the last week?

 

[ebolo]

I just wondered if you had had anything helpful from GTR by any chance, in the last week?

Sorry for the lack of updates recently. Good news is that GTR has agreed to settle out of court! I ended up instructing Manak who handled the negotiation. Total settlement figure was £167.90, which I have now paid. Waiting on confirmation from the prosecutor that the case has been formally dropped.
Sincere thanks to everyone who contributed advice on this thread - it has been supportive and factual, providing very useful insight at each step of the case.
Will post a final confirmation once the case is closed.