Went through barrier with friend TFL

My friend pushed me through the barrier with her when I was drunk, I don’t have great memory of what actually happened but I didn’t purposely try to avoid tapping in. Was at a tube station. TfL officers then took my details and have sent a letter, it doesn’t ask for penalty fare it asks whether I accept or deny and why they shouldn’t prosecute. I know it is ultimately my responsibility to tap in but I wasn’t in the right frame of mind. I am really worried. I did tap out at the end station. Is there any advice please?

lou999 said:

My friend pushed me through the barrier with her when I was drunk, I don’t have great memory of what actually happened but I didn’t purposely try to avoid tapping in. Was at a tube station. TfL officers then took my details and have sent a letter, it doesn’t ask for penalty fare it asks whether I accept or deny and why they shouldn’t prosecute. I know it is ultimately my responsibility to tap in but I wasn’t in the right frame of mind. I am really worried. I did tap out at the end station. Is there any advice please?

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does your TFL account / bank statement show that you paid for the journey as a result of the tap out?
If so it might help you make your case / excuses to them to see if you can persuade them not to go to prosecution.

But mis use of barriers is a big issue on TfL as you probably know from the media so I would be prepared for them to take prosecution action against you for what happened, unless you are able to persuade them not to do so (there is no harm in trying)

People here will advise on what would happen if prosecuted, and you can start to draft out your apology / excuse letter

Or you could consider engaging a rail fares specialist solicitor to try and help you with this - the cost of their fee likely to be in region of £750 - so that depends on the extent to which reducing your chances of being prosecuted is worth that sort of money to you. Which may in turn depend on your job or career aspirations were a conviction in magistrates court might have a negative impact.
Maybe your friend will help with the solicitors fees...?

Which station did this occur at?
Did you tap your card at the beginning?
Did your friend tap their card?
Was your friend also stopped?
Did you answer any questions put to you under caution at the time?

Yes my statement shows the tap out and so a fare was paid because of that. I did not tap in as my friend pushed me through before I was able to. My friend said she tapped in twice for both of us but I can’t verify this. I’ve messaged her to find out a bit more. I can’t remember the entry station but the exit station was in north London. I complied and provided details at the time but was clearly drunk.

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

I would engage with a solicitor but I’m wondering if I should do that if it goes to court. Rather than now.

lou999 said:

Yes my statement shows the tap out and so a fare was paid because of that. I did not tap in as my friend pushed me through before I was able to. My friend said she tapped in twice for both of us

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I'm afraid that's not really possible - each card or payment method is only valid for one person at a time.

lou999 said:

but I can’t verify this. I’ve messaged her to find out a bit more. I can’t remember the entry station but the exit station was in north London. I complied and provided details at the time but was clearly drunk.

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

I would engage with a solicitor but I’m wondering if I should do that if it goes to court. Rather than now.

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TfL prosecute in a large number of cases. If you want to avoid it going to court in the first place, then I would suggest getting a solicitor soon. It would help if you could upload TfL's letter with personal details redacted.

If you are going to use a solicitor, it's best to use someone who specialises in fare evasion. There is a list of firms who have been used by members before, who you might be able to find by searching for "solicitor" on here, but otherwise I or someone else can find and post that list.

lou999 said:

Yes my statement shows the tap out and so a fare was paid because of that.

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You were charged a maximum fare, which has no bearing on your earlier offence of misusing the gate. TfL take a very dim view of this.

There are only ever two outcomes to being reported for prosecution by TfL. You get either:

- a warning letter (rare), or
- prosecuted under the TfL Bylaws in the Magistrates' Court (nearly all cases), and you will be fined according to your income, have to repay the fares, pay TfL's costs and also a surcharge.

If you have mitigation under 8.2 of TfL's prosecution policy as outlined here https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...CCEQAQ&sqi=2&usg=AOvVaw2C7o5kR33C23PisL_RJtu6 you may wish to contact a solicitor to advance your mitigation in writing. This will cost you something like £800.

lou999 said:

I did not tap in as my friend pushed me through before I was able to. My friend said she tapped in twice for both of us but I can’t verify this.

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It isn't true and can't be true.

lou999 said:

I would engage with a solicitor but I’m wondering if I should do that if it goes to court. Rather than now.

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You need to do it now. You're guilty of the offence, so you want to avoid court and ask TfL to dispose of this by way of a warning.

You should ask for CCTV as soon as possible. This should allow you to review for yourself what really happened in the cold light of day.

AlterEgo said:

You're guilty of the offence, so you want to avoid court and ask TfL to dispose of this by way of a warning.

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Is this definitely the case if genuinely pushed through? I wouldn't have thought so as no actus reus?

I guess the only defence is to report your friend to the police for common assault, i.e pushing you through the barrier and quote the crime number. Probably best to have done it strsighr away however.