Help - Threat of prosecution

[abdeftr]

Hi RailUK forums,

A couple of months ago I made a huge mistake in buying an incorrect weekly season ticket for the commute to my new office, tantamount to shortfaring (I think is the term anyway). I was stopped at Waterloo East and asked to show my ticket, after which the inspector said he could see I had not scanned in at London Bridge. Believe it or not, this was a genuine mistake, insofar as I had intended to use a combination of bus and rail that week to test out different commuting routes to get to the new office, before realising very quickly after buying the ticket this was not a sensible route. However having bought the ticket on Sunday evening I was reluctant to waste it and buy the correct one on top. I admitted this to the inspector at the time, and while I did purchase the ticket in good faith, I accepted that I knowingly travelled on an incorrect ticket.

I am really very concerned now, having received a notice of potential prosecution letter, that I could end up with a criminal record, which will almost certainly result in me losing my job and many more repercussions. I'm really hoping that as this is a singular offence, and there is evidence of me having purchased the correct ticket the week before, as well as in subsequent weeks, and that I only stood to gain £7 over the course of a week by shortfaring them had that been my intention, that Southeastern might be willing to settle out of court. I of course recognise that I made a huge mistake and should have just bought the correct ticket as soon as I changed my mind, and chalked the LB to WE ticket up as a loss; I would do anything to just go back and remake my decision.

If anybody is able to provide any advice on this I would be hugely appreciative. I have attached my letter from Southeastern, although I think it is fairly standard. I have also drafted a response to Southeastern that I can share.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[notmyrealname]

Hi, welcome to the forum.

I expect the pros will soon be here to explain things to you. Southeastern are have been known to settle things directly before it gets to court, so it's important to have a good letter to send them. If you post your draft here, people will proofread it for you and make any appropriate suggestions.

 

[abdeftr]

Thanks so much! Please see my draft letter below:

Dear Mx XX & Southeastern Debt Recovery Team,


I write to you with regard to the attached letter, received on XXXX.

I wish to express my sincere apologies and regret for the incident that occurred on XXXX. As you will be aware, I purchased a weekly season ticket from London Bridge to Waterloo East in good faith, intending to take that journey only for that week, supplementing bus travel. However I soon realised this was not a reasonable route and instead reverted to travelling from Hither Green, not buying a new season ticket for the week.

This was a major error in judgement on my part that I sincerely and deeply regret, and I of course realise with hindsight that I should have purchased an additional weekly season ticket for that route and accepted that my money on the London Bridge to Waterloo East ticket would be wasted. I would ask that you please consider that this was a one-off mistake, as evidenced by my previous and subsequent purchases, for which I take full responsibility for; and a mistake that I guarantee I shall not make again.

I understand and accept that there may be an administrative cost for the burden my mistake has put on Southeastern, as well as a penalty fare and the correction of the original fare, which I am willing to pay. I would be extremely grateful for the opportunity to settle this without the need of court action, if you could be amenable to this.


Yours sincerely.


***


Any thoughts or criticisms anyone may have I would be greatly appreciative of.

Thanks in advance RailUK

 

[Haywain]

I only stood to gain £7 over the course of a week by shortfaring them had that been my intention,

Whilst that might have been it, they will take the view that you would have continued and avoided payment of a much larger amount over the course of time. Therefore it would be best not to suggest this in your response.

 

[AlterEgo]

I’d leave out the bit about the bus. Nobody is going to believe that bit; not even you believe it, because you yourself say it wouldn’t save much money!

Someone coming from Hither Green on the bus and going to Waterloo East would just change for the 172 or walk for a bit to make a direct bus, both of which are cheaper and more convenient than buggering around with the plan you have described.

You got caught short faring, just admit to it like everyone else does.

 

[island]

I wish to express my sincere apologies and regret for the incident that occurred on XXXX. As you will be aware, I purchased a weekly season ticket from London Bridge to Waterloo East in good faith, intending to take that journey only for that week, supplementing bus travel. However I soon realised this was not a reasonable route and instead reverted to travelling from Hither Green, not buying a new season ticket for the week.

This doesn't pass the smell test for a fraction of a second.

Nobody buys tickets from London Bridge to Waterloo East. Nobody faffs with buses from Hither Green to London Bridge – not that you can even get a bus between those two anyway – and anyone who did wouldn't then mess around going through the station to get on the train for one stop.

You and I both know that you got on the train at Hither Green, an unbarriered station with next to no ticket checks, fully intending to only pay the fare between London Bridge and Waterloo East. It makes no sense to have a £23.20 train weekly season ticket plus a £24.70 bus & tram pass when the weekly season ticket from Hither Green is £32.30. Stop lying to us, and don't lie to Southeastern when you reply. Lying makes things worse.

The good news for you is Southeastern are almost always willing to settle matters out of court. You'll have to pay back the fares you dodged and admin fees on top, but it won't go to court as long as you cooperate (and stop lying).

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Was this a "major error of judgement"? Seriously?

 

[abdeftr]

It certainly was an error of judgement, no doubt about that. I regret it massively and it was the first and last time anything like that has happened.

Thank you all for your feedback.