Didn't buy a ticket help

[Bel55]

It was a long day and trains were cancelled at two stations in route to a concert. Tapped in and then out at first station after train cancelled. By the time we got to a station that would get us to our destination the barriers were open and we were late so we went through as one person with my partner tapping.
We then stupidly did this at every station thinking we had to. Had a few to drink by this point. Got home and now mortified I realise I should have bought a travel card. Wasn't caught on route but my husband has tapped and CCTV will show us together going through barriers.
I have a high level job and can't afford to be prosecuted.
Can I buy a ticket today not use it and keep as mitigation that I was being stupid.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@Bel55. Welcome to the forum. If you didn't get stopped without a ticket, it's unlikely that you'll now subsequently be prosecuted. Going through the barriers in the manner you did, even if you had held a valid ticket, is an offence itself. Obviously, don't ever do this again, and if you get stopped by TfL revenue protection in the London area, please note that TfL always tends to prosecute. Buying tickets after travelling won't particularly help you any.

 

[AlterEgo]

You don’t live in the panopticon, they can’t magically trace you from CCTV. Relax and don’t do it again.

 

[Bel55]

@Bel55. Welcome to the forum. If you didn't get stopped without a ticket, it's unlikely that you'll now subsequently be prosecuted. Going through the barriers in the manner you did, even if you had held a valid ticket, is an offence itself. Obviously, don't ever do this again, and if you get stopped by TfL revenue protection in the London area, please note that TfL always tends to prosecute. Buying tickets after travelling won't particularly help any.

Thank you so much for easing my mind. I promise I will never do it again I feel awful.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Aug 2024 ==

You don’t live in the panopticon, they can’t magically trace you from CCTV. Relax and don’t do it again.

I also worried they could trace my partner's payments on phone as we went through together.

 

[Lewisham2221]

Welcome to the forum.

I'm going to ignore most of your most and concentrate on the last couple of sentences.

Obviously you are aware that you shouldn't have done what you did. Buying a ticket now may well satisfy your conscience in contributing financially to the services that you used, but it would hold very little weight in terms of mitigation in the case of prosecution.

That said, if you weren't stopped on the day, I suspect it's highly unlikely that you will be prosecuted or hear anything further of the matter - it's very unlikely that anybody is monitoring or trawling through CCTV footage to spot people "tailgating" through the barriers.

Don't worry about this incident, but don't do it again.

 

[Bel55]

Welcome to the forum.

I'm going to ignore most of your most and concentrate on the last couple of sentences.

Obviously you are aware that you shouldn't have done what you did. Buying a ticket now may well satisfy your conscience in contributing financially to the services that you used, but it would hold very little weight in terms of mitigation in the case of prosecution.

That said, if you weren't stopped on the day, I suspect it's highly unlikely that you will be prosecuted or hear anything further of the matter - it's very unlikely that anybody is monitoring or trawling through CCTV footage to spot people "tailgating" through the barriers.

Don't worry about this incident, but don't do it again.

Thank you