TFL penalty fare moved to the prosecution team

[Reolin]

Hello, posting here and multiple other places as I am very frightened. I think over a month or even 2 months ago I received a TFL penalty fare for traveling without a valid ticket, and I delayed paying it as I would complete an internship (this month) and use the pay to pay the 100-pound fine however, after emailing iRCAS, I was told my fine had already been moved to prosecution. What do I do? Do I have to get a lawyer? I am only 18 and do not want to go to jail or have this on my record.

Details regarding the incident. I got on the train at upminster bridge was approached, I think at Elm Park? and completed the journey to Becontree. My zip card at the time was damaged, preventing it from scanning which is why I had been travelling without a ticket. I did try appeal to the fine but was unsuccesful which is last time i had looked at this issue until now.

will i still be able to just pay the fine to end all this? or am i screwed

 

[30907]

Unfortunately it is TfL policy to prosecute people (except when they offer a Penalty Fare) for a minor offence of not having a valid ticket.
As you didn't find the £50 at the time I would expect them to take that route now.
They will sometimes accept mitigation in line with their policy, but being short of money won't wash. They will also sometimes issue a written warning for a first offence, and it's possible that a specialist solicitor might improve your chances (at considerable cost!).
Sorry to hear bad news. For now just wait till their letter arrives, then come back for advice.

 

[Haywain]

I am only 18 and do not want to go to jail

You will not go to jail, no matter what. That's a certainty.

will i still be able to just pay the fine to end all this? or am i screwed

I think you should urgently email the address given and ask if you can now, belatedly, pay the Penalty Fare Notice. The worst that can happen is that they say no.

 

[SECR 65]

I would agree with the above. Email, being very sorry for missing the notice, and see if they'll let you pay the penalty fare now. If they say no, then it would be worth considering getting a specialist fare evasion solicitor's help. We can provide a list of firms previously used by forum members. They are likely to charge something along the lines of £800.

I would hope that with the right solicitor you might be able to avoid prosecution in this instance - that is NOT a guarantee and I am not a legal expert.

 

[Egg Centric]

Maybe get your email checked here first before sending. Do I understand correctly you had a (valid) ZIP card at the time but it was damaged? Were you 17 at the time you were stopped?

 

[Reolin]

What do you mean get email checked? Yeah i had a zip card but it was damaged i think that invalids it tho i was 18. I also have contacted a solicter already in case. i also emailed about paying the fare on the 31st when i get paid and waiting for response

 

[Sasomida]

The suggestion is to post the text of what you are planning to say, before sending it, so that forum members can advise on whether the phrasing is suitable and the correct things are being said.

 

[Reolin]

Unfortunately it is TfL policy to prosecute people (except when they offer a Penalty Fare) for a minor offence of not having a valid ticket.
As you didn't find the £50 at the time I would expect them to take that route now.
They will sometimes accept mitigation in line with their policy, but being short of money won't wash. They will also sometimes issue a written warning for a first offence, and it's possible that a specialist solicitor might improve your chances (at considerable cost!).
Sorry to hear bad news. For now just wait till their letter arrives, then come back for advice.

so will it be going on my record?

 

[Reolin]

The suggestion is to post the text of what you are planning to say, before sending it, so that forum members can advise on whether the phrasing is suitable and the correct things are being said.

oh I have already sent an email off before joining the formun should i screenshoot to show you guys or is it to late

 

[Egg Centric]

oh I have already sent an email off before joining the formun should i screenshoot to show you guys or is it to late

You may as well share it yes, since they haven't responded (if I'm understanding you correctly) - the lack of response in over 4 weeks is not a good sign though.

 

[Reolin]

You may as well share it yes, since they haven't responded (if I'm understanding you correctly) - the lack of response in over 4 weeks is not a good sign though.

not exactly sure when I got moved to Prosecution team but I sent email today. btw the email was meant for ircas but i forwarded it to the TFl team before realising the gravity of the situation so it seens awful in hindsight.

 

[Egg Centric]

not exactly sure when I got moved to Prosecution team but I sent email today. btw the email was meant for ircas but i forwarded it to the TFl team before realising the gravity of the situation so it seens awful in hindsight. View attachment 208533

While that's definitely "sub optimal" honestly given the couple of days difference it might actually work and you may receive a response this week (in which case please do keep us updated cause the truth is we don't have enough cases like yours to know for sure what happens). But if you can come up with a much more "formal" email in mean time pls give us it and we can proofread, or alternatively if you need pointers let us know.

Under no circumstances whatsoever email them anything about your expired zip card without checking it.

 

[Reolin]

Yes thank you

 

[Reolin]

Hello, posting here and multiple other places as I am very frightened. I think over a month or even 2 months ago I received a TFL penalty fare for traveling without a valid ticket, and I delayed paying it as I would complete an internship (this month) and use the pay to pay the 100-pound fine however, after emailing iRCAS, I was told my fine had already been moved to prosecution. What do I do? Do I have to get a lawyer? I am only 18 and do not want to go to jail or have this on my record.

Details regarding the incident. I got on the train at upminster bridge was approached, I think at Elm Park? and completed the journey to Becontree. My zip card at the time was damaged, preventing it from scanning which is why I had been travelling without a ticket. I did try appeal to the fine but was unsuccesful which is last time i had looked at this issue until now.

will i still be able to just pay the fine to end all this? or am i screwed View attachment 208484

Hello, I Have not received any sort of contact from the prosecution team since then should I be worried ? I am going to start drafting another email?

 

[WesternLancer]

not exactly sure when I got moved to Prosecution team but I sent email today. btw the email was meant for ircas but i forwarded it to the TFl team before realising the gravity of the situation so it seens awful in hindsight. View attachment 208533

where did you send this e-mail to? What e-mail address? The e-mail requesting an extension for the time in which to pay.

Did you send it to this address as detailed in the reply you got from IRCAS? - ie AP@tfl.gov.uk

did you include any reference number that was on your Penalty Fare or that you got on any messages from IRCAS ?

 

[Reolin]

where did you send this e-mail to? What e-mail address? The e-mail requesting an extension for the time in which to pay.

Did you send it to this address as detailed in the reply you got from IRCAS? - ie AP@tfl.gov.uk

did you include any reference number that was on your Penalty Fare or that you got on any messages from IRCAS ?

Sorry for late reply this email was sent to AP@tfl.gov.uk. I didn’t include any reference number. I have also yet to receive a letter or a response. What course of action should I take ?

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Sorry for late reply this email was sent to AP@tfl.gov.uk. I didn’t include any reference number. I have also yet to receive a letter or a response. What course of action should I take ?

Did you include other identifying details that TfL have already collected from you (your name and address for example)? If so, they will probably be able to match your email up with the case papers. But otherwise if there was a reference number in what they sent you, I would resend the email but now including the reference number. At the moment you want something from TfL (i.e. not to prosecute you) so it's in your interests to make it as easy as possible for them to get all your paperwork together.

 

[Reolin]

Did you include other identifying details that TfL have already collected from you (your name and address for example)? If so, they will probably be able to match your email up with the case papers. But otherwise if there was a reference number in what they sent you, I would resend the email but now including the reference number. At the moment you want something from TfL (i.e. not to prosecute you) so it's in your interests to make it as easy as possible for them to get all your paperwork together.

How should I word the email

 

[Spaceship323]

Re - send the original but include the reference number at the top (if you have it)

 

[Reolin]

Should I email them to inform them I haves moved for university?

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Should I email them to inform them I haves moved for university?

It depends on what address they already have for you. If (as is the way with a lot of people at university) they have your parents ' address, and you can rely on your parents to send post on to you, then trust that: otherwise give them your new address.