Intent to prosecute by Southernrailways. Please help!!!!

[jmish]

Hi all on the forums,

I received an intent to prosecute letter from southern eastern . I travelled using a short ticket between swanscombe and Northfleet instead of from Abbey Wood to Northfleet. The ticket was an e-ticket bought on the trainline app when I was already on board the train. This was the first time I have been caught doing something like this, however I had been doing this for about a month beforehand (around 8 times total). When stopped at the station the officer scanned the e ticket and pulled me aside. I initially said I had come from swanscombe and he made a call to other officers stationed at swanscombe giving a description of me(I was dressed quiet distinctively and anyone seeing me would remember), after this I admitted my actions to the staff member when being pulled aside to answer questions, which I answered truthfully. I feel very guilty and stupid, and wont do such a thing again.


I am curious as to whether not not
1. The Prosecutions team would be aware of any previous infractions alongside the one I was caught for (I am currently assuming yes, and that I will be charged for these as well)…
2. should I admit to this even though it is not referenced in the attached letter?

I have a copy of the letter I received, as well as a letter I have drafted in response.

Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks!

This is the response I intend to send

Dear Southernrailways

Thank you for your letter, dated the 25th of February . Please consider this letter to be my ‘Response from the Passenger’ note.

On the 20th of February , I did indeed travel on an invalid ticket. I would like to take the chance to apologise for travelling with a ticket that was not valid for my journey. There is no excuse for this.

It was wrong of me to do this, and I will never avoid paying the full fare for travel on Thameslink or any other service ever again.

I understand now that it will be up to the Prosecutions Department to progress this matter as they see fit. I was wondering if it would be possible to settle the case without the need for court action; I am compliant and willing to pay for any costs associated with this matter, including your administrative costs, the penalty fine and the outstanding fare.

I sincerely apologise for my actions, and I await your response regarding further action.

Yours sincerely,

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Mar 2025 ==

Please note I also book the e-ticket when I was already on board the train

 

[Haywain]

Dear Southernrailways

You are dealing with Southeastern. Getting their name right would be a good start.

 

[alholmes]

You are dealing with Southeastern. Getting their name right would be a good start.

And on a similar point, you mention Thameslink in your draft. Southeastern will be more interested in what you have to say about travelling on their services, rather than a different operator.

 

[jmish]

And on a similar point, you mention Thameslink in your draft. Southeastern will be more interested in what you have to say about travelling on their services, rather than a different operator.

You are dealing with Southeastern. Getting their name right would be a good start.

Yes you are absolutely correct, I will change it

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Mar 2025 ==

And on a similar point, you mention Thameslink in your draft. Southeastern will be more interested in what you have to say about travelling on their services, rather than a different operator.

It was a Thameslink train however the officials checking everyone at the station was southeastern. At Northfleet both southeastern and thameslink trains stop at the station

 

[WesternLancer]

Hi all on the forums,

I received an intent to prosecute letter from southern eastern . I travelled using a short ticket between swanscombe and Northfleet instead of from Abbey Wood to Northfleet. The ticket was an e-ticket bought on the trainline app when I was already on board the train. This was the first time I have been caught doing something like this, however I had been doing this for about a month beforehand (around 8 times total). When stopped at the station the officer scanned the e ticket and pulled me aside. I initially said I had come from swanscombe and he made a call to other officers stationed at swanscombe giving a description of me(I was dressed quiet distinctively and anyone seeing me would remember), after this I admitted my actions to the staff member when being pulled aside to answer questions, which I answered truthfully. I feel very guilty and stupid, and wont do such a thing again.


I am curious as to whether not not
1. The Prosecutions team would be aware of any previous infractions alongside the one I was caught for (I am currently assuming yes, and that I will be charged for these as well)…
2. should I admit to this even though it is not referenced in the attached letter?

I have a copy of the letter I received, as well as a letter I have drafted in response.

Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks!

This is the response I intend to send

Dear Southernrailways

Thank you for your letter, dated the 25th of February . Please consider this letter to be my ‘Response from the Passenger’ note.

On the 20th of February , I did indeed travel on an invalid ticket. I would like to take the chance to apologise for travelling with a ticket that was not valid for my journey. There is no excuse for this.

It was wrong of me to do this, and I will never avoid paying the full fare for travel on Thameslink or any other service ever again.

I understand now that it will be up to the Prosecutions Department to progress this matter as they see fit. I was wondering if it would be possible to settle the case without the need for court action; I am compliant and willing to pay for any costs associated with this matter, including your administrative costs, the penalty fine and the outstanding fare.

I sincerely apologise for my actions, and I await your response regarding further action.

Yours sincerely,

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Mar 2025 ==

Please note I also book the e-ticket when I was already on board the train

Pretty good letter. But these occur to me

- change ‘full fare’ to correct fare

- in the bit where you offer to pay delete ‘any penalty fine’. You should offer’to pay any fare that I owe along with the costs of investigating this’

If you’ve done this before they will probably find that on your ticket buying record so be prepared for them to factor that into the sum they may calculate as part of any out of court settlement offer that they might make.

Also. Is there anything you can do to legitimately reduce your fares eg buy a rail card or season ticket? If so buy one and tell them you have done that / enclose a copy. See the cost as an investment in getting an out of court settlement. It’s something you can do to actively show you have learned a lesson and changed your ways.

When you send this back if by post send it tracked mail from a post office. Keep copies of everything. We’ve seen a few cases on here of Southeastern losing replies so you need to be able to prove you sent a reply in that scenario.

 

[jmish]

Pretty good letter. But these occur to me

- change ‘full fare’ to correct fare

- in the bit where you offer to pay delete ‘any penalty fine’. You should offer’to pay any fare that I owe along with the costs of investigating this’

If you’ve done this before they will probably find that on your ticket buying record so be prepared for them to factor that into the sum they may calculate as part of any out of court settlement offer that they might make.

Also. Is there anything you can do to legitimately reduce your fares eg buy a rail card or season ticket? If so buy one and tell them you have done that / enclose a copy. See the cost as an investment in getting an out of court settlement. It’s something you can do to actively show you have learned a lesson and changed your ways.

When you send this back if by post send it tracked mail from a post office. Keep copies of everything. We’ve seen a few cases on here of Southeastern losing replies so you need to be able to prove you sent a reply in that scenario.

Many thanks. Will make the changes as indicated