Hi everyone,
A little help would be much appreciated. I took a journey to Leamington Spa in June to visit some friends. When I arrived at the station there were revenue protection staff at the ticket gates. I approached them and after scanning my ticket they asked to see my railcard. When I purchased a ticket for my journey on the 13th trainline added a railcard, as I had one in the past. I did not realise this had not renewed my railcard. As I was checking my phone to see if had any proof of my previous railcard I was quite nervous and started to pace as it's what I do when I get nervous, the revenue protection guy ran toward me and insisted that I give him my ID and my details immediately. I was too nervous to do anything but give him what he asked for. After that he let me leave.
I received a letter today reading:
We are in receipt of a report, which advises that on Thursday 13th June 2024, a person giving your name and address details was spoken to by railway revenue protection staff in connection with a journey between Bristol Temple Meads and Leamington Spa, at the time you failed to show a valid rail ticket for the journey that you were making or had made.
If you have a valid railcard but were unable to produce it to the rail official on the day in question, please email a copy of any railcards you hold or previously held for us to review.
The purpose of this letter is to advise you of the report and of any action that may follow from it, and to provide you with the opportunity to inform us of any mitigation that you may wish to be considered. This can be sent to the address shown above, or via email at Fraud@chilternrailways.co.uk
The report of this incident indicates that in the absence of a satisfactory explanation, evidence does exist to warrant a prosecution in accordance with the current legislation. These considerations may include whether any charge should allege an offence against Railway Byelaws (2005), or the Regulation of Railways Act 1889.
You are therefore advised to seek out independent legal advice from a Solicitor trained in criminal law and who is registered with the Law Society. It would also be an advantage if they have knowledge of rail fare law, as this is a specialised area.
The company considers this a serious matter, and if we do not hear from you within 14 days of the date of this letter, this matter will be passed to our Prosecuting Authority with a view to obtaining a Summons to a Magistrates' Court hearing, this may be issued without further reference to you.
Reading through previous threads on this forum (specifically https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/chiltern-prosecution-intention-notice-letter.271026/) I understand that it is possible to settle such matters outside of court. I need some advice on rectifying the situation.
Any help would be much appreciated.
A little help would be much appreciated. I took a journey to Leamington Spa in June to visit some friends. When I arrived at the station there were revenue protection staff at the ticket gates. I approached them and after scanning my ticket they asked to see my railcard. When I purchased a ticket for my journey on the 13th trainline added a railcard, as I had one in the past. I did not realise this had not renewed my railcard. As I was checking my phone to see if had any proof of my previous railcard I was quite nervous and started to pace as it's what I do when I get nervous, the revenue protection guy ran toward me and insisted that I give him my ID and my details immediately. I was too nervous to do anything but give him what he asked for. After that he let me leave.
I received a letter today reading:
We are in receipt of a report, which advises that on Thursday 13th June 2024, a person giving your name and address details was spoken to by railway revenue protection staff in connection with a journey between Bristol Temple Meads and Leamington Spa, at the time you failed to show a valid rail ticket for the journey that you were making or had made.
If you have a valid railcard but were unable to produce it to the rail official on the day in question, please email a copy of any railcards you hold or previously held for us to review.
The purpose of this letter is to advise you of the report and of any action that may follow from it, and to provide you with the opportunity to inform us of any mitigation that you may wish to be considered. This can be sent to the address shown above, or via email at Fraud@chilternrailways.co.uk
The report of this incident indicates that in the absence of a satisfactory explanation, evidence does exist to warrant a prosecution in accordance with the current legislation. These considerations may include whether any charge should allege an offence against Railway Byelaws (2005), or the Regulation of Railways Act 1889.
You are therefore advised to seek out independent legal advice from a Solicitor trained in criminal law and who is registered with the Law Society. It would also be an advantage if they have knowledge of rail fare law, as this is a specialised area.
The company considers this a serious matter, and if we do not hear from you within 14 days of the date of this letter, this matter will be passed to our Prosecuting Authority with a view to obtaining a Summons to a Magistrates' Court hearing, this may be issued without further reference to you.
Reading through previous threads on this forum (specifically https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/chiltern-prosecution-intention-notice-letter.271026/) I understand that it is possible to settle such matters outside of court. I need some advice on rectifying the situation.
Any help would be much appreciated.