caught using child ticket, worried about penalty fare letter please HELP!!

[toby24]

Yesterday travelling home from milton keynes to northampton (london midland)i got asked my age because i had purchased a child ticket. I originaly said i was 15 but when he was about to ring my parents i coughed up and said i was 16.

After threatning me with police he asked for id and i had a card in my wallet with my name and dob on it but i also had previous wrongly bought child tickets in!!:// (that was dumb).

After giving details he said a letter would be sent charging me full prices amd admin fees of 20 quid each. (each adult single was 28, 14 and 8) even though all returns.

He told me it would be about 80 quid plus admin charges. But he said they might waiver a bit on these admin charges???

What exactly does this mean? Is it likely? Amd any help on how much it might be?? Any help much appreciated!!!

 

[AntoniC]

Wait till you get the letter from London Midland ! - that will explain what options are available to you.

 

[Tibbs]

You've done something wrong, now you have to man up and pay the price.

Just count your stars they're (by the sounds of it) not taking you to court. A criminal record could blight you for the rest of your life (or at least for however long you have to declare it).

 

[toby24]

I apreciatte that and thats tge main thing any idea on price its likely to be? Need to save my pennies:/

 

[Lewisham2221]

I apreciatte that and thats tge main thing any idea on price its likely to be? Need to save my pennies:/

Merseyrail website suggests they charge an admin fee of £50 - £75. Other posts on this forum suggest that other TOC's admin fees are in the low hundreds. So, probably between £50 and £200. Although, as you appear to be a 'repeat offender' - you say you had multiple child tickets in your wallet - the London Midland revenue department may well take a different view, so just wait for the letter. Either way, it's probably going to cost you a fair bit more than if you'd purchased the correct adult ticket in the first place, so let this be a lesson to you.

 

[toby24]

Any idea on how ling tge letters usually take to arrive? And i am going to pay definitely

 

[RJ]

Any idea on how ling tge letters usually take to arrive? And i am going to pay definitely

It can take a few weeks for the letter to come. The reality is, there isn't anything you can do until it arrives so hard as it may seem, it's best to put the matter to the back of your mind until it does arrive.

 

[toby24]

Okay thanks for your help as long as its not more than 200 ill be okay but by the sounds of it should be alright? Thanks agaim

 

[Chapeltom]

I know several 16 and 17 year olds who still buy child tickets, stupidly in my view but the fact is TOCs really are getting more strict and clamping down on this. Unfortunately it looks like the OP will have to learn a harsh lesson, as I presume the RPI may have taken the other child tickets in evidence.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Does it say anywhere that the OP is being prosecuted? Sounds to me like he's just being sent the payments due, and as I see no mention of questions or statements I don't think he's being taken to court.

 

[wensley]

I'd agree that it doesn't sound like a prosecution, did the RPI (i assume it was an RPI!) Caution you?

Otherwise it's a fair cop and paying up would be advised.

 

[toby24]

No whoever he was (not sure who) said he would send the letter and if i payed that would be the end of it so obviously thats what im gunna do. Cus dont want my parents to knowaswell. Just worried about exactly how much it will be all thogether??

 

[snail]

No whoever he was not sure who he said cus i was honest with him after he would send the letter and if i payed that would be the end of it so obviously thats what im gunna do. Cus dont want my parents to know tgats why he was doing tgat aswell. Just worried about exactly how much it will be all thogether??

Can we have that in English please?

 

[Deerfold]

No whoever he was not sure who he said cus i was honest with him after he would send the letter and if i payed that would be the end of it so obviously thats what im gunna do. Cus dont want my parents to know tgats why he was doing tgat aswell. Just worried about exactly how much it will be all thogether??

It's probably worth rereading your sentences before posting - they're really quite hard to read.

 

[455driver]

No whoever he was (not sure who) said he would send the letter and if i payed that would be the end of it so obviously thats what im gunna do. Cus dont want my parents to knowaswell. Just worried about exactly how much it will be all thogether??

Attempt at translation-

No, I am not sure who he was.
He did say that I would be sent a letter and if I paid, which obviously I will do, that would be the end of it.
I dont want me parents to know that I have been defrauding the railways and could have ended up with a criminal record if he had decided to prosecute me after seeing the other child tickets in my possession.
I am worried about how much exactly it will cost me all together.

Okay I added a couple of bits for effect!

 

[Monty]

What it sounds like is because of the OPs age, the inspector inquestion has decided to submit a TIR (ticket irregularity report) rather than a MG11 for fare evasion. It would be a simple 5 3a prosecution so he should consider himself fortunate.

Best to wait until you hear from London Midland before you worry too much, however you may have to accept the fact you will need to pay back what you owe plus fees. Put it down to experience and move on.

 

[toby24]

Thank you thats re-assuring and i count myself lucky!

He mentioned a £20 admin fee will this be per ticket?
And are there any other fees ill have to pay?

 

[RJ]

Thank you thats re-assuring and i count myself lucky!

He mentioned a £20 admin fee will this be per ticket?
And are there any other fees ill have to pay?

That is something that only London Midland know at present. So the only realistic thing to do is wait for the letter to come. In the meantime, maybe save up a bit!