Advice needed please - Govia Thameslink Prosecution

[marrion45]

Hi, I got caught short faring some months back but got an email from Govia for prosecution. I seriously regret my actions and it hasn't happened again since when i was stopped but i have short fared on multiple dates lot of times before that day. I will be looking at settling out of court and accepting any fee to be paid. I need some advice on how to go about it.

I will post the email sent


Dear xxxxxx



Please DO NOT Ignore This Letter



I am contacting you in relation to the statement you gave to a Revenue Officer on xxxx at ST ALBANS CITY station.



You were found not to be in possession of a valid rail ticket for your journey between xxxx & ST ALBANS CITY and were subsequently interviewed under caution. An investigation undertaken by GTR’s Fraud Department has established that you avoided rail fares on multiple dates.



Travel Fraud costs the rail industry over £240 million per year and Govia Thameslink Railway has a zero-tolerance approach to fare evasion on our network. We always ask the courts to impose the maximum penalty for offenders, which can include the following:

• A Criminal Record
• Fine of up to £1000
• Prison Sentence
• Suspended Sentence
• Community Service
• Compensation
• Costs

I would like to discuss the matter further with you and would therefore request that you respond to this letter within 7 days using the email address above. Failure to respond to this letter will result in your case being referred to the Prosecutions Department.

 

[Hadders]

Welcome to the forum!

Evading rail fares is a serious matter and is a criminal offence. GTR are entitled to prosecute you in the Magistrates Court if they want to.

suggest a short, concise reply to GTR's letter mentioning the following points:

- That you are sorry for what has happened
- What you have learned from the incident
- That you are keen to settle the matter without the need for court action
- Offer to pay the outstanding fare and the train company's administrative costs in dealing with the matter

GTR are normally prepared to offer an out of court settlement to people who co-operate with them and who haven't come to their attention before. Expect to have to pay the cost of the fares avoided at the full Anytime rate with no credit given for the invalid tickets you did purchase plus an admin fee, typically £150. They will likely audit your online ticket purchasing history and if this indicates you have done this before they will want to factor the cost of these journeys into the settlement cost. You will need to be in a position to pay the settlement in full within a few days of it being offered - payment in installments isn't allowed.

Paying an out of court settlement might feel like paying a fine but technically it isn't - only a court can impose a fine as a punishment upon conviction so you really don't want to pay a fine! You won't have a criminal conviction if you pay an out of court settlement.

When it arrives, post a copy of the letter from GTR in this thread along with your draft reply and forum members will proof read it for you. Do redact any personal details before uploading.

 

[marrion45]

This is my Draft to the letter attached below. please give me any corrections needed.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your letter dated XXXX.

I want to say sorry for not having a valid ticket for my whole journey and for any trouble this may have caused.

On XXXX, I traveled with a ticket that didn’t cover my full trip. I admit this wasn’t the first time, and I am truly sorry for not paying the full fare. I know it was wrong, and I feel bad about it.

I take full responsibility for what I did. Since then, I have made sure to always buy the right ticket for every journey. This mistake has taught me a big lesson, and I now see how foolish I was.

I take full blame for my actions and have made sure to buy proper tickets ever since. I’ve learned an important lesson and realize how silly my behavior was.

I now understand that avoiding paying the entire cost of the journey is unfair and disrespectful to everyone who pays the full fare and seriously harms the rail industry.

I would very much appreciate the opportunity to settle this matter without the need for court action and would welcome the opportunity to pay the outstanding fares in addition to your administrative costs in dealing with this matter.

Thank you, and I hope to hear from you soon. @Hadders

 

[Haywain]

As the letter from GTR says they want to discuss the matter, this usually means that they know you have done this on multiple occasions, and you will need to address that in your letter.

 

[marrion45]

I have drafted the letter, and need some advice if it's a good draft or needs changes.
will post it below




Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your letter dated XXXX.

I want to say sorry for not having a valid ticket for my whole journey and for any trouble this may have caused.

On XXXX, I traveled with a ticket that didn’t cover my full trip. I admit this wasn’t the first time, and I am truly sorry for not paying the full fare. I know it was wrong, and I feel bad about it.

I take full responsibility for what I did. Since then, I have made sure to always buy the right ticket for every journey. This mistake has taught me a big lesson, and I now see how foolish I was.

I take full blame for my actions and have made sure to buy proper tickets ever since. I’ve learned an important lesson and realize how silly my behavior was.

I now understand that avoiding paying the entire cost of the journey is unfair and disrespectful to everyone who pays the full fare and seriously harms the rail industry.

I would very much appreciate the opportunity to settle this matter without the need for court action and would welcome the opportunity to pay the outstanding fares in addition to your administrative costs in dealing with this matter.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours Sincerely,

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Nov 2024 ==

As the letter from GTR says they want to discuss the matter, this usually means that they know you have done this on multiple occasions, and you will need to address that in your letter.

I have drafted the letter, and need some advice if it's a good draft or needs changes.
will post it below




Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your letter dated XXXX.

I want to say sorry for not having a valid ticket for my whole journey and for any trouble this may have caused.

On XXXX, I traveled with a ticket that didn’t cover my full trip. I admit this wasn’t the first time, and I am truly sorry for not paying the full fare. I know it was wrong, and I feel bad about it.

I take full responsibility for what I did. Since then, I have made sure to always buy the right ticket for every journey. This mistake has taught me a big lesson, and I now see how foolish I was.

I take full blame for my actions and have made sure to buy proper tickets ever since. I’ve learned an important lesson and realize how silly my behavior was.

I now understand that avoiding paying the entire cost of the journey is unfair and disrespectful to everyone who pays the full fare and seriously harms the rail industry.

I would very much appreciate the opportunity to settle this matter without the need for court action and would welcome the opportunity to pay the outstanding fares in addition to your administrative costs in dealing with this matter.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours Sincerely,

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Nov 2024 ==

Welcome to the forum!

Evading rail fares is a serious matter and is a criminal offence. GTR are entitled to prosecute you in the Magistrates Court if they want to.

suggest a short, concise reply to GTR's letter mentioning the following points:

- That you are sorry for what has happened
- What you have learned from the incident
- That you are keen to settle the matter without the need for court action
- Offer to pay the outstanding fare and the train company's administrative costs in dealing with the matter

GTR are normally prepared to offer an out of court settlement to people who co-operate with them and who haven't come to their attention before. Expect to have to pay the cost of the fares avoided at the full Anytime rate with no credit given for the invalid tickets you did purchase plus an admin fee, typically £150. They will likely audit your online ticket purchasing history and if this indicates you have done this before they will want to factor the cost of these journeys into the settlement cost. You will need to be in a position to pay the settlement in full within a few days of it being offered - payment in installments isn't allowed.

Paying an out of court settlement might feel like paying a fine but technically it isn't - only a court can impose a fine as a punishment upon conviction so you really don't want to pay a fine! You won't have a criminal conviction if you pay an out of court settlement.

When it arrives, post a copy of the letter from GTR in this thread along with your draft reply and forum members will proof read it for you. Do redact any personal details before uploading.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Nov 2024 ==

I have drafted the letter, and need some advice if it's a good draft or needs changes.
will post it below




Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your letter dated XXXX.

I want to say sorry for not having a valid ticket for my whole journey and for any trouble this may have caused.

On XXXX, I traveled with a ticket that didn’t cover my full trip. I admit this wasn’t the first time, and I am truly sorry for not paying the full fare. I know it was wrong, and I feel bad about it.

I take full responsibility for what I did. Since then, I have made sure to always buy the right ticket for every journey. This mistake has taught me a big lesson, and I now see how foolish I was.

I take full blame for my actions and have made sure to buy proper tickets ever since. I’ve learned an important lesson and realize how silly my behavior was.

I now understand that avoiding paying the entire cost of the journey is unfair and disrespectful to everyone who pays the full fare and seriously harms the rail industry.

I would very much appreciate the opportunity to settle this matter without the need for court action and would welcome the opportunity to pay the outstanding fares in addition to your administrative costs in dealing with this matter.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours Sincerely,

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Nov 2024 ==


I have drafted the letter, and need some advice if it's a good draft or needs changes.
will post it below




Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your letter dated XXXX.

I want to say sorry for not having a valid ticket for my whole journey and for any trouble this may have caused.

On XXXX, I traveled with a ticket that didn’t cover my full trip. I admit this wasn’t the first time, and I am truly sorry for not paying the full fare. I know it was wrong, and I feel bad about it.

I take full responsibility for what I did. Since then, I have made sure to always buy the right ticket for every journey. This mistake has taught me a big lesson, and I now see how foolish I was.

I take full blame for my actions and have made sure to buy proper tickets ever since. I’ve learned an important lesson and realize how silly my behavior was.

I now understand that avoiding paying the entire cost of the journey is unfair and disrespectful to everyone who pays the full fare and seriously harms the rail industry.

I would very much appreciate the opportunity to settle this matter without the need for court action and would welcome the opportunity to pay the outstanding fares in addition to your administrative costs in dealing with this matter.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours Sincerely,

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Nov 2024 ==

can someone review my letter and tell me if there's any corrections to be made pls?

 

[Hadders]

I would carry out your own research of your online ticketing account to work out how many times you've evaded your fare and say something like:

'I have researched my online ticket purchasing account and believe I had evaded paying the correct fares xx times between xx/xx/xx and yy/yy/yy'

 

[marrion45]

I would carry out your own research of your online ticketing account to work out how many times you've evaded your fare and say something like:

'I have researched my online ticket purchasing account and believe I had evaded paying the correct fares xx times between xx/xx/xx and yy/yy/yy'

I have drafted it now again including the corrections suggested. Let me know if its okay

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your letter dated XXXX.

I would like to sincerely apologize for not having a valid ticket for my full journey and for any inconvenience this may have caused.

On XXXX, I traveled with a ticket that did not cover the entire trip. I admit that this was not the first time, and I deeply regret not paying the full fare. I know this was wrong, and I am truly sorry for my actions.

After reviewing my online ticket purchasing account, I found that I avoided paying the correct fares on XX occasions between XX/XX/XX and YY/YY/YY. I am deeply regretful for my repeated actions and understand how unfair this behavior was.

I take full responsibility for my mistake. Since then, I have made sure to purchase the correct ticket for every journey. This experience has been a big learning moment for me, and I now realize how wrong and foolish I was.

I understand that not paying the full fare is disrespectful to others who pay the correct amount and harms the rail industry. I regret my actions and am determined not to repeat them.

I kindly ask for the chance to resolve this issue without court proceedings. I am willing to pay the outstanding fares along with any additional administrative costs you have incurred.

Thank you for considering my request, and I hope to hear from you soon.

Yours sincerely,
Name

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Nov 2024 ==

I have drafted it now again including the corrections suggested. Let me know if its okay

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your letter dated XXXX.

I would like to sincerely apologize for not having a valid ticket for my full journey and for any inconvenience this may have caused.

On XXXX, I traveled with a ticket that did not cover the entire trip. I admit that this was not the first time, and I deeply regret not paying the full fare. I know this was wrong, and I am truly sorry for my actions.

After reviewing my online ticket purchasing account, I found that I avoided paying the correct fares on XX occasions between XX/XX/XX and YY/YY/YY. I am deeply regretful for my repeated actions and understand how unfair this behavior was.

I take full responsibility for my mistake. Since then, I have made sure to purchase the correct ticket for every journey. This experience has been a big learning moment for me, and I now realize how wrong and foolish I was.

I understand that not paying the full fare is disrespectful to others who pay the correct amount and harms the rail industry. I regret my actions and am determined not to repeat them.

I kindly ask for the chance to resolve this issue without court proceedings. I am willing to pay the outstanding fares along with any additional administrative costs you have incurred.

Thank you for considering my request, and I hope to hear from you soon.

Yours sincerely,
Name

can someone review this please?

 

[Elecman]

Remove the word ‘mistake’ you didn’t make a mistake you deliberately chose not to pay the correct fare. Error of judgement may be more accurate

 

[marrion45]

Remove the word ‘mistake’ you didn’t make a mistake you deliberately chose not to pay the correct fare. Error of judgement may be more accurate

I have corrected it now. If there's any corrections kindly let me know please


Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your letter dated XXXX.

I would like to sincerely apologize for not having a valid ticket for my full journey and for any inconvenience this may have caused.

On XXXX, I traveled with a ticket that did not cover the entire trip. I admit that this was not the first time, and I deeply regret not paying the full fare. I know this was wrong, and I am truly sorry for my actions.

After reviewing my online ticket purchasing account, I found that I avoided paying the correct fares on XX occasions between XX/XX/XX and YY/YY/YY. I am deeply regretful for my repeated actions and understand how unfair this behavior was.

I take full responsibility for my error of judgement. Since then, I have made sure to purchase the correct ticket for every journey. This experience has been a big learning moment for me, and I now realize how wrong and foolish I was.

I understand that not paying the full fare is disrespectful to others who pay the correct amount and harms the rail industry. I regret my actions and am determined not to repeat them.

I kindly ask for the chance to resolve this issue without court proceedings. I am willing to pay the outstanding fares along with any additional administrative costs you have incurred.

Thank you for considering my request, and I hope to hear from you soon.

Yours sincerely,
Name

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Nov 2024 ==

I have corrected it now. If there's any corrections kindly let me know please


Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your letter dated XXXX.

I would like to sincerely apologize for not having a valid ticket for my full journey and for any inconvenience this may have caused.

On XXXX, I traveled with a ticket that did not cover the entire trip. I admit that this was not the first time, and I deeply regret not paying the full fare. I know this was wrong, and I am truly sorry for my actions.

After reviewing my online ticket purchasing account, I found that I avoided paying the correct fares on XX occasions between XX/XX/XX and YY/YY/YY. I am deeply regretful for my repeated actions and understand how unfair this behavior was.

I take full responsibility for my error of judgement. Since then, I have made sure to purchase the correct ticket for every journey. This experience has been a big learning moment for me, and I now realize how wrong and foolish I was.

I understand that not paying the full fare is disrespectful to others who pay the correct amount and harms the rail industry. I regret my actions and am determined not to repeat them.

I kindly ask for the chance to resolve this issue without court proceedings. I am willing to pay the outstanding fares along with any additional administrative costs you have incurred.

Thank you for considering my request, and I hope to hear from you soon.

Yours sincerely,
Name

can someone let me know if this is okay please?

 

[GregSmith2025]

Hi, I hope you’re doing okay. Something very similar happened to me this morning, and I was wondering if you could kindly share any updates on the process. It would mean so much—thank you in advance.

 

[notmyrealname]

Hi.

If you would like advice on your own problem, please start a thread and people will be happy to help you. No two stories are ever exactly the same and advising two people on the same thread just leads to confusion.