GTR - Notice of Intention to Prosecute

[esarem]

I have received a Notice of Intention to Prosecute from Govia Thameslink Railway today, completely by surprise as I never travelled on the date in question. Nor have I ever travelled without a valid ticket for my journey.

My immediate concern is that somebody is either fraudulently using my details when dodging fares. Instead hopefully GTR have spoken to someone with the same name and somehow looked up the incorrect address.

I see on the back of the letter it states to provide additional evidence if you are disputing that it's you, but what would they accept? I was working that day and the station named on the letter is neither that close to where I live or between my home address and office location. I commute by car anyway!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Watershed]

Welcome to the forum. We have seen quite a few cases of fraudulent details being given and unsuspecting people ending up with threats of prosecution as a result.

Suffice it to say, you're not the first person to have this problem and you probably won't be the last - there is no legal requirement to carry ID and thus if someone can't/doesn't want to produce ID, members of frontline staff can only verify that the stated name and address match (using the electoral register), but not that the person in front of them is giving their own details.

However, in cases where no ID verification takes place, it is common for members of staff to either note down a description of the passenger or to activate their body-worn camera so they have footage of the person. This can then be used in cases such as yours, to work out what has happened.

Therefore GTR may ask you to provide a copy of photo ID, so they can see what you look like and compare this to the description/appearance of the person they caught. It might also help to give a brief statement setting out what you were doing that day and where you went (and by which means), like what you've given us.

If you have Google Maps Location history enabled on your phone, a copy/screenshot of that might help - it is by no means definitive, since it can be user edited to a certain extent and is dependent on GPS reception which can be limited at times. However it would still be useful evidence to help give credibility to what you're saying. And as you were at work you could also ask your manager/employer to confirm that you attended the office that day.

Overall, it's worth remembering that the burden of proof to prove you committed an offence lies with GTR, and they must prove each element beyond all reasonable doubt. So you're under no obligation to provide any of the above details - it's just that cooperating may help to make the matter 'go away' more quickly than if you tell them to prove everything (in which case it may go to Court).

 

[WesternLancer]

I have received a Notice of Intention to Prosecute from Govia Thameslink Railway today, completely by surprise as I never travelled on the date in question. Nor have I ever travelled without a valid ticket for my journey.

My immediate concern is that somebody is either fraudulently using my details when dodging fares. Instead hopefully GTR have spoken to someone with the same name and somehow looked up the incorrect address.

I see on the back of the letter it states to provide additional evidence if you are disputing that it's you, but what would they accept? I was working that day and the station named on the letter is neither that close to where I live or between my home address and office location. I commute by car anyway!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Excellent advice in post #2 of course.

All I would add is do not ignore what they have sent you or it will automatically escalate to court and you will have more nuisance to untangle it. Make sure you reply (as suggested above) - keep copies of everything you send - for GTR annoyingly this has to be done on paper I believe - pay the little bit extra at a post office to send it tracked post so you can prove they received your reply - not the more expensive guaranteed next day delivery service the post office will suggest to you.

the Railway will have a process for dealing with this scenario as it will happen regularly, to the frustration of a lot of innocent people.

It's likely someone who knows your details using this - maybe even someone who knows you.

If you have moved house recently / in the last years or so take the usual precautions - check your electoral registration is up to date and removed from registers at old addresses (contact the local council where you used to live), check organisations that may send you post that you have dealings with have your correct up to date postal address.

 

[esarem]

Thank you for your replies. It is unfortunate but also reassuring to hear that this has come up before so hopefully I can get it resolved.

Fortunately I have the Google maps timeline data so I'll get the letter sent off by tracked post as soon as I can with some screenshot evidence.

 

[WesternLancer]

Thank you for your replies. It is unfortunate but also reassuring to hear that this has come up before so hopefully I can get it resolved.

Fortunately I have the Google maps timeline data so I'll get the letter sent off by tracked post as soon as I can with some screenshot evidence.

good luck - head back here if you need to get more advice.

probably easiest thing to send them is a copy of some photo ID so they can check what you look like against the description of the person they stopped, which the railway staff seem to typically take down, as @Watershed mentions. Anything else you can state to support your story is bound to be of help I'd think.