Fare Evasion Ticket for Prosecution.

[zarasophie]

Hi everyone. just wanted to post my story on here to get some guidance.

Last year October 8th 2025 I got stopped at Vauxhall where they checked my ticket. I had bought a ticket from Clapham to Vauxhall return, when in reality my local station I boarded at was Teddington. I had got into a bad habit of using this 'trick' as my local station does not have barriers and its common by people in my area that its always just been seen as harmless way of saving money. I just started a new job in London and hadn't been paid so the commute was racking up quickly hence why I was doing this. Anyway I fully understand this does not excuse my behaviour and see the seriousness now.

Anyway, I got given a report for prosecution and months passed with no word. Then I received an email two weeks ago 9th March from SWR asking me to complete my details. I hear back the following Monday 16th March sending me a spreadsheet of 149 journeys they are investigating going back to 2021. In this spreadsheet they want me to complete to my best ability accurate departure, destination, return/one way, and if I had a valid railcard. So as I say, this is common thing used by people within my area. So yes, a lot of those journeys are not the correct stations unfortunately. To make matters worse, whilst throughout most of this period I did in fact have a valid 16-25 railcard for some stupid reason I was using 16-17. When I was looking through this spreadsheet I could not have been more mad at myself. Whilst a lot of these journeys are very short trips Teddington - Waterloo or Vauxhall and I was saving like £3 a journey, there are quite a lot.

So I have filled out this spreadsheet as honest as I possibly can be. I feel like at this point my best chance at settlement is just giving them the correct details so we can work out how much I owe. I have also written a cover letter apologising, explaining the railcard misuse and clarifying my desire for settling this out of court.
I reached out to them on the 16th March asking for an extension till the 30th so I could properly look at the spreadsheet which they kindly granted.

So what I am looking for now is any advice before I send my email with the spreadsheet attached, on how best to keep this out of court and settled administrively/ if anyone has had a similar experience.

I fully intend to repay and costs and see how stupid I have been in the past. Help please!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Mar 2026 ==

Just to add in the emails from SWR they have said "We hope that, with your assistance, we can work towards a resolution that reduces any further inconvenience" Which I dont know if im being lured into a false sense of security but it indicates this can be settled.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Hi everyone. just wanted to post my story on here to get some guidance.

Last year October 8th 2025 I got stopped at Vauxhall where they checked my ticket. I had bought a ticket from Clapham to Vauxhall return, when in reality my local station I boarded at was Teddington. I had got into a bad habit of using this 'trick' as my local station does not have barriers and its common by people in my area that its always just been seen as harmless way of saving money. I just started a new job in London and hadn't been paid so the commute was racking up quickly hence why I was doing this. Anyway I fully understand this does not excuse my behaviour and see the seriousness now.

Anyway, I got given a report for prosecution and months passed with no word. Then I received an email two weeks ago 9th March from SWR asking me to complete my details. I hear back the following Monday 16th March sending me a spreadsheet of 149 journeys they are investigating going back to 2021. In this spreadsheet they want me to complete to my best ability accurate departure, destination, return/one way, and if I had a valid railcard. So as I say, this is common thing used by people within my area. So yes, a lot of those journeys are not the correct stations unfortunately. To make matters worse, whilst throughout most of this period I did in fact have a valid 16-25 railcard for some stupid reason I was using 16-17. When I was looking through this spreadsheet I could not have been more mad at myself. Whilst a lot of these journeys are very short trips Teddington - Waterloo or Vauxhall and I was saving like £3 a journey, there are quite a lot.

So I have filled out this spreadsheet as honest as I possibly can be. I feel like at this point my best chance at settlement is just giving them the correct details so we can work out how much I owe. I have also written a cover letter apologising, explaining the railcard misuse and clarifying my desire for settling this out of court.
I reached out to them on the 16th March asking for an extension till the 30th so I could properly look at the spreadsheet which they kindly granted.

So what I am looking for now is any advice before I send my email with the spreadsheet attached, on how best to keep this out of court and settled administrively/ if anyone has had a similar experience.

I fully intend to repay and costs and see how stupid I have been in the past. Help please!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Mar 2026 ==

Just to add in the emails from SWR they have said "We hope that, with your assistance, we can work towards a resolution that reduces any further inconvenience" Which I dont know if im being lured into a false sense of security but it indicates this can be settled.

Welcome to the forum.

The important thing to bear in mind is that the railway don't have a primary aim of prosecuting you: rather, they want to get back the fares that you should have paid, and - even more importantly - be certain that you won't fare dodge again. That's because enforcement of this sort of thing is expensive, but if they can be sure that you won't do it again then they won't have to spend loads of money chasing you up.

So you will probably only be taken to court if the railway don't think you have learnt your lesson this time. So in turn, what do you need to do to convince them that you'll behave yourself?

It looks as if you've made a good start by trying to fill the spreadsheet properly. It's important to try to get it right - but don't worry too much if you can't remember the details of a journey. You'll have a fair idea of whether that's a journey you would have made, or whether it's one you definitely wouldn't, so if you're not sure then be as honest as possible. But also bear in mind that the railway will have a fair idea of what they'd expect you to do: they won't be trying to trip you up, but will know that sometimes they get it a bit wrong. So if there are some journeys they quoted that actually you had the right ticket for, that's fine - just tell them about it. But if you claim that loads of the journeys weren't you, they'll struggle to believe that. So as you have said yourself, be as honest as you can.

If you then send the spreadsheet back with a very apologetic letter, making it clear that you know not to do it again, and you won't do it again, then I think there's a very good chance that the railway will let you 'settle out of court': that will mean you paying the full single fare for all the journeys that you fare dodged on, plus an admin fee of maybe £150 (it could be more, it could be less). The railway will probably want this paying in a few days or weeks, so start thinking about how much you will owe, and how you will find the money (savings? Bank overdraft? Bank loan? Borrowing from family? Whatever you do, don't go to a loan shark!).

It won't be easy or cheap, but you probably can sort this out without being taken to court.

 

[WesternLancer]

Hi everyone. just wanted to post my story on here to get some guidance.

Last year October 8th 2025 I got stopped at Vauxhall where they checked my ticket. I had bought a ticket from Clapham to Vauxhall return, when in reality my local station I boarded at was Teddington. I had got into a bad habit of using this 'trick' as my local station does not have barriers and its common by people in my area that its always just been seen as harmless way of saving money. I just started a new job in London and hadn't been paid so the commute was racking up quickly hence why I was doing this. Anyway I fully understand this does not excuse my behaviour and see the seriousness now.

Anyway, I got given a report for prosecution and months passed with no word. Then I received an email two weeks ago 9th March from SWR asking me to complete my details. I hear back the following Monday 16th March sending me a spreadsheet of 149 journeys they are investigating going back to 2021. In this spreadsheet they want me to complete to my best ability accurate departure, destination, return/one way, and if I had a valid railcard. So as I say, this is common thing used by people within my area. So yes, a lot of those journeys are not the correct stations unfortunately. To make matters worse, whilst throughout most of this period I did in fact have a valid 16-25 railcard for some stupid reason I was using 16-17. When I was looking through this spreadsheet I could not have been more mad at myself. Whilst a lot of these journeys are very short trips Teddington - Waterloo or Vauxhall and I was saving like £3 a journey, there are quite a lot.

So I have filled out this spreadsheet as honest as I possibly can be. I feel like at this point my best chance at settlement is just giving them the correct details so we can work out how much I owe. I have also written a cover letter apologising, explaining the railcard misuse and clarifying my desire for settling this out of court.
I reached out to them on the 16th March asking for an extension till the 30th so I could properly look at the spreadsheet which they kindly granted.

So what I am looking for now is any advice before I send my email with the spreadsheet attached, on how best to keep this out of court and settled administrively/ if anyone has had a similar experience.

I fully intend to repay and costs and see how stupid I have been in the past. Help please!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Mar 2026 ==

Just to add in the emails from SWR they have said "We hope that, with your assistance, we can work towards a resolution that reduces any further inconvenience" Which I dont know if im being lured into a false sense of security but it indicates this can be settled.

when you have prepared your covering letter along the lines @Fawkes Cat suggests you can post it here for people to check and suggest any improvements before you send it back to them, along with the spreadsheet

It's important to include a clear statement saying you would like to settle it out of court if possible, and offer to pay fares that are owed to them (ie what you have evaded) if you want to keep it out of court.

There are lots of examples on other threads involving SWR. Have a look if you have not already done so.

Here is some general advice often given which may be of help - you are of course part way through this process in that they have written to you and presumably already checked your ticket buying records for suspicious activity:

You'll find lots of example letters you can use in this section of the forum but the reply basically needs to mention:

- That you are sorry for what has happened
- What you have learned from the incident and will not do this again
- That you are keen to settle the matter without the need for court action
- Offer to pay the outstanding fare(s) and the railway company’s administrative costs in dealing with the matter

The railway will probably offer you an out of court settlement. Expect to have to pay the cost of the fare for the journey you made at the full Anytime rate with no credit given for the invalid ticket you purchased. In addition they will charge an admin fee, typically £150. They will also audit your online ticket purchase history and if this shows you've purchased other tickets that were not valid (eg railcard discounted tickets when you did not have a valid railcard, or tickets for only part of the journey, or tickets bought after boarding the train you travelled on ) they will probably factor the cost of these journeys into the settlement offer. Depending on how many journeys you've made over the period concerned this could end up being expensive.

Settlements usually have to be paid in full within a few days of them being offered so if money is tight you might want to think about how you will raise the sum required at short notice.

 

[zarasophie]

Hi guys, thanks so much for responding you have no idea how helpful it is just to speak to people familiar with these situations. I will attach my email here. I wont attach the spreadsheet as I feel it could be case sensitive idk/ unsure if it will be much use.

Thank you for your email and for providing me with the opportunity to respond.

I have completed the attached spreadsheet to the best of my ability based on my recollection of the journeys. Where I was unable to recall the exact details, I have indicated this accordingly. Many of these journeys likely reflect my regular travel routes, but I have only included what I can reasonably remember to ensure the information provided is accurate.

I would like to clarify that during much of the period in question I held a valid 16–25 Railcard, including at the time of the inspection on 8 October 2025. However, when purchasing tickets through the Trainline app, there were occasions where an incorrect Railcard type was selected in error, particularly when booking quickly.

There were also some instances where my Railcard had expired and I had not realised at the time of purchase, as the details remained saved on the app. I fully understand that it was my responsibility to ensure that any Railcard used was valid, and I acknowledge that I should have checked this more carefully.

Since this matter was brought to my attention, I have ensured that all tickets purchased correctly reflect my journeys and that any Railcard used is valid.This experience has made me fully aware of the importance of ensuring accuracy when purchasing tickets, and I can assure you that I have learned from this situation and will not repeat these mistakes in the future.

I sincerely apologise for these errors and take full responsibility. I did not fully appreciate the seriousness of this at the time, but I now understand.

I am very keen to resolve this matter without the need for further escalation and would be grateful for the opportunity to settle it administratively. I am willing to reimburse any outstanding fares and reasonable administrative costs.

Thank you for considering my response, and please let me know if any further information is required.

Yours sincerely,

Please let me know if I should add/ take away anything

 

[Fawkes Cat]

There will be other suggestions, but personally I'd change

I am willing to reimburse any outstanding fares and reasonable administrative costs.

to something like

I would be grateful if you would allow me to settle by paying any outstanding fares and reasonable administrative costs.

The thing is, while I don't think the railway will want to take you to court, they've got the right to do so. So at this point you want them to do you a favour by letting you settle out of court. So you need to ask if they will let you do that, rather than say what you're prepared to do.

It's a small point, and it probably doesn't make much difference. But you're not in a strong position, so 'every little helps'.

 

[Haywain]

I think that you have engaged with them in the appropriate manner and your letter/email reflects this. With the spreadsheet they are looking for to be honest and that is how it appears. There is every chance that they will offer a settlement, although it won't be cheap.

 

[WesternLancer]

Hi guys, thanks so much for responding you have no idea how helpful it is just to speak to people familiar with these situations. I will attach my email here. I wont attach the spreadsheet as I feel it could be case sensitive idk/ unsure if it will be much use.

Thank you for your email and for providing me with the opportunity to respond.

I have completed the attached spreadsheet to the best of my ability based on my recollection of the journeys. Where I was unable to recall the exact details, I have indicated this accordingly. Many of these journeys likely reflect my regular travel routes, but I have only included what I can reasonably remember to ensure the information provided is accurate.

I would like to clarify that during much of the period in question I held a valid 16–25 Railcard, including at the time of the inspection on 8 October 2025. However, when purchasing tickets through the Trainline app, there were occasions where an incorrect Railcard type was selected in error, particularly when booking quickly.

There were also some instances where my Railcard had expired and I had not realised at the time of purchase, as the details remained saved on the app. I fully understand that it was my responsibility to ensure that any Railcard used was valid, and I acknowledge that I should have checked this more carefully.

Since this matter was brought to my attention, I have ensured that all tickets purchased correctly reflect my journeys and that any Railcard used is valid.This experience has made me fully aware of the importance of ensuring accuracy when purchasing tickets, and I can assure you that I have learned from this situation and will not repeat these mistakes in the future.

I sincerely apologise for these errors and take full responsibility. I did not fully appreciate the seriousness of this at the time, but I now understand.

I am very keen to resolve this matter without the need for further escalation and would be grateful for the opportunity to settle it administratively. I am willing to reimburse any outstanding fares and reasonable administrative costs.

Thank you for considering my response, and please let me know if any further information is required.

Yours sincerely,

Please let me know if I should add/ take away anything

Include your case ref number v clearly right at the top (obv no need to put it here - and indeed no need to share your spreadsheet for reasons you say)

eg :

Dear xxx

Your Ref:

Thank you for your email and for providing me with the opportunity to respond.

I have completed the....

 

[zarasophie]

There will be other suggestions, but personally I'd change
to something like

The thing is, while I don't think the railway will want to take you to court, they've got the right to do so. So at this point you want them to do you a favour by letting you settle out of court. So you need to ask if they will let you do that, rather than say what you're prepared to do.

It's a small point, and it probably doesn't make much difference. But you're not in a strong position, so 'every little helps'.

Ah yes this is a great flag thank you !

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Mar 2026 ==

Include your case ref number v clearly right at the top (obv no need to put it here - and indeed no need to share your spreadsheet for reasons you say)

eg :

Dear xxx

Your Ref:

Thank you for your email and for providing me with the opportunity to respond.

I have completed the....

Thank you!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Mar 2026 ==

I think that you have engaged with them in the appropriate manner and your letter/email reflects this. With the spreadsheet they are looking for to be honest and that is how it appears. There is every chance that they will offer a settlement, although it won't be cheap.

Thank you!

 

[sally12356]

Hey what was the outcome? Did they offer a settlement?

 

[Kite159]

Hey what was the outcome? Did they offer a settlement?

Best to start your own thread as every case is different. Considering the OP of this thread hasn't been seen since March.