Intent to prosecute - No valid railcard

[n1287737]

I‘ve received a letter from Gatwick Express informing me about their intentions to prosecute, but have given me a chance to explain the situation. (Standard Letter, attached)

I boarded the train without a valid railcard. I have always held a railcard in the past, but it had expired 6 - 7 months ago from the date of incident. Upon seeing the ticket inspector, I immediately attempted to purchase the railcard, but due to connection the app repeatedly crashed and I was unable to complete the transaction

I was on call with a friend, and she advised me to use her railcard with edited photo of mine, which seemed right as i was fittester in that moment and I agreed. I showed inspector the photo of the railcard, but the requested to see it in the app, which I could not provide. At that point, I panicked and provided personal details that matched my friend’s railcard record. However, later i came out clean and provided accurate details.

Could you please help me write a response which will settle this matter outside of court?

 

[z444z]

Welcome. There are hundreds of similar cases on the forum, would you be able to have a look through the advice given and draft a response for us to review here?

 

[n1287737]

Welcome. There are hundreds of similar cases on the forum, would you be able to have a look through the advice given and draft a response for us to review here?

Thanks for your response. I’ve seen other draft responses where the advice is to be honest and apologise and request an out of court settlement.

However, I‘m extra cautious given my situation on what to exactly write and say.

 

[WesternLancer]

I‘ve received a letter from Gatwick Express informing me about their intentions to prosecute, but have given me a chance to explain the situation. (Standard Letter, attached)

I boarded the train without a valid railcard. I have always held a railcard in the past, but it had expired 6 - 7 months ago from the date of incident. Upon seeing the ticket inspector, I immediately attempted to purchase the railcard, but due to connection the app repeatedly crashed and I was unable to complete the transaction

I was on call with a friend, and she advised me to use her railcard with edited photo of mine, which seemed right as i was fittester in that moment and I agreed. I showed inspector the photo of the railcard, but the requested to see it in the app, which I could not provide. At that point, I panicked and provided personal details that matched my friend’s railcard record. However, later i came out clean and provided accurate details.

Could you please help me write a response which will settle this matter outside of court?

Welcome

You will get good help here - but I have to say that you turned an 'honest mistake' of forgetting to renew (which we often see on here) your railcard into a more serious matter by trying to forge a railcard to get away with it - thus changing the situation from an 'honest mistake' to 'deliberate fare evasion' - that wasn't a good idea - as I am sure you now realise.

However, if you engage with the railway company over what I think you should describe as a 'serious error of judgment when you were stopped and questioned about your ticket' I think there is still a strong probability you can avoid being prosecuted in court for what happened with the forged railcard - this advice that is generally given here which I have copied should help you with the next steps you need to do in your reply - have a go at drafting your response but get it checked here before you send it if you think that will help you get your wording as good as it can be:

Have you since renewed your railcard with a legitimate one? If not I would do that ASAP as it is something you can state in your reply to them to show that you have done something practical to prevent the issue happening again.


Firstly, you committed a criminal offence by travelling with an invalid ticket and railway companies are entitled to prosecute you in the Magistrates Court if they want to. The good news is they will normally offer an out of court settlement to people who co-operate with them and who haven't come to their attention before.

Next, what happens is the railway company will write to you. The letter will go to the address that you gave them / on any of your ID they checked so you need to be able to access hard copy post at that address as they often send things that way (but also check e-mail and spam). It is extremely important that you reply, and you'll only have a limited time to do so (often 14 days from the date on their communication).

When you receive the letter post a redacted copy of it in this thread, along with your draft reply and forum members will proof read it for you. 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 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.

 

[z444z]

However, I‘m extra cautious given my situation on what to exactly write and say.

They haven't asked about anything unusual, they've only accused you of not having a valid ticket. The team dealing with this may or may not know the details of what actually happened, but GTR almost always settle regardless.

In the last GTR case involving altered tickets/railcards, the initial letter said "altered a ticket with the intent that the Train Company was defrauded or prejudiced". The fact that yours says nothing like this supports the idea that they're dealing with this as a simple no railcard case.

It's best if you write something, even if it isn't quite right, and then we suggest edits, instead of writing it for you, because it's really important that this letter comes across as sincere.

 

[WesternLancer]

They haven't asked about anything unusual, they've only accused you of not having a valid ticket. The team dealing with this may or may not know the details of what actually happened, but GTR almost always settle regardless.

In the last GTR case involving altered tickets/railcards, the initial letter said "altered a ticket with the intent that the Train Company was defrauded or prejudiced". The fact that yours says nothing like this supports the idea that they're dealing with this as a simple no railcard case.

It's best if you write something, even if it isn't quite right, and then we suggest edits, instead of writing it for you, because it's really important that this letter comes across as sincere.

FWI I think this is a point well made ref the reply that needs to be drafted in response to the letter received by the OP.

 

[n1287737]

Welcome

You will get good help here - but I have to say that you turned an 'honest mistake' of forgetting to renew (which we often see on here) your railcard into a more serious matter by trying to forge a railcard to get away with it - thus changing the situation from an 'honest mistake' to 'deliberate fare evasion' - that wasn't a good idea - as I am sure you now realise.

However, if you engage with the railway company over what I think you should describe as a 'serious error of judgment when you were stopped and questioned about your ticket' I think there is still a strong probability you can avoid being prosecuted in court for what happened with the forged railcard - this advice that is generally given here which I have copied should help you with the next steps you need to do in your reply - have a go at drafting your response but get it checked here before you send it if you think that will help you get your wording as good as it can be:

Have you since renewed your railcard with a legitimate one? If not I would do that ASAP as it is something you can state in your reply to them to show that you have done something practical to prevent the issue happening again.


Firstly, you committed a criminal offence by travelling with an invalid ticket and railway companies are entitled to prosecute you in the Magistrates Court if they want to. The good news is they will normally offer an out of court settlement to people who co-operate with them and who haven't come to their attention before.

Next, what happens is the railway company will write to you. The letter will go to the address that you gave them / on any of your ID they checked so you need to be able to access hard copy post at that address as they often send things that way (but also check e-mail and spam). It is extremely important that you reply, and you'll only have a limited time to do so (often 14 days from the date on their communication).

When you receive the letter post a redacted copy of it in this thread, along with your draft reply and forum members will proof read it for you. 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 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.

Thanks for your response! Yes, I renewed the railway card immediately on the day of incident.

Yes. I do realise that under distress I agreed to a wrong advice offered by a friend and provided wrong railcard. I‘ve not found a post where the case is similar to mine, apart from being apologetic and owning my mistake for not being able to produce a valid rail card, what else should i say. Please find my version of draft attached

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Feb 2026 ==

They haven't asked about anything unusual, they've only accused you of not having a valid ticket. The team dealing with this may or may not know the details of what actually happened, but GTR almost always settle regardless.

In the last GTR case involving altered tickets/railcards, the initial letter said "altered a ticket with the intent that the Train Company was defrauded or prejudiced". The fact that yours says nothing like this supports the idea that they're dealing with this as a simple no railcard case.

It's best if you write something, even if it isn't quite right, and then we suggest edits, instead of writing it for you, because it's really important that this letter comes across as sincere.

Thanks for the detailed advice!

Could you please review my draft?

 

[z444z]

Have pasted the text from the image below so it's easier for us to work on:

I am writing in response to your notice of intention to prosecute letter I received from you dated 29th January 2025. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to respond.

On the evening of 28th October 2025, my details were taken by a Revenue Protection Inspector near London Bridge station. I had bought a ticket without having a valid railcard and I didn't understand the severity of the situation and impact that this has on the train company and passengers.

I am deeply remorseful for my actions and fully understand the gravity of travelling without a valid railcard for the ticket that I had bought. I have since purchased the correct railcard and intend to be fully honest and compliant with the rules of the system. I understand that travelling without a valid ticket is a serious offence and can result in legal consequences

I wondered if it would be possible to resolve this matter out of court by paying you the outstanding fare, and any administrative costs that have accumulated. I am fully prepared to make immediate payment.

I deeply regret my actions and I assure you that this incident has, and will continue to, serve as a valuable lesson, and I will ensure that such a situation does not occur in the future. I apologise for the time wasted and inconvenience that this has caused

Thank you for your understanding and consideration.

 

[n1287737]

Have pasted the text from the image below so it's easier for us to work on:

Thank you, what are your thoughts?

 

[z444z]

I've made some edits, see below. Please fill in the [INSERT APOLOGY] bit and change anything else you want to, then post it back here so we can check it again

REFERENCE: [INSERT]

I am writing in response to your letter dated 29th January 2025 regarding the incident on 28th October 2025. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to respond.

I can confirm that I used a discounted ticket without a valid railcard and [INSERT APOLOGY]. I did not appreciate the severity of this at the time, but this incident has served as a valuable lesson and I deeply regret my actions. I have since purchased a railcard (evidence attached) and intend to be fully compliant with the rules in future.

I would be grateful if it would be possible to resolve this matter out of court. I am prepared to make immediate payment of the outstanding fare as well as your administrative costs.

Thank you for your consideration.

 

[n1287737]

Thank you, what are your thought

I've made some edits, see below. Please fill in the [INSERT APOLOGY] bit and change anything else you want to, then post it back here so we can check it again

 

[z444z]

I can't see anything other than quotes in your latest message

 

[n1287737]

I've made some edits, see below. Please fill in the [INSERT APOLOGY] bit and change anything else you want to, then post it back here so we can check it again

Please see the updated version with (APOLOGY) inserted. Also, I forgot to mention that letter sent to me contains incorrect spellings of my name, should i point this out and provide correct spellings? as the railcard has correct spellings. I did provide accurate spellings, but the error is only of three letters. One incorrect letter in first name and 2 letters in last name

Reference: G

I am writing in response to your letter dated 29th January 2025 regarding the incident on 28th October 2025. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to respond.

I can confirm that I used a discounted ticket without a valid railcard and I sincerely apologise for my actions, and I‘m deeply remorseful. I did not appreciate the severity of this at the time, but this incident has served as a valuable lesson and I deeply regret my actions. I have since purchased a railcard (evidence attached) and intend to be fully compliant with the rules in future.

I would be grateful if it would be possible to resolve this matter out of court. I am prepared to make immediate payment of the outstanding fare as well as your administrative costs.

Thank you for your consideration.

 

[z444z]

This looks good to me but please wait for thoughts from others before sending anything.

I don't see an issue with adding a paragraph after "thank you for allowing me the opportunity to respond" saying something like "Firstly I would like to note that the name on your letter is misspelled, my correct name is [INSERT]."

 

[n1287737]

This looks good to me but please wait for thoughts from others before sending anything.

I don't see an issue with adding a paragraph after "thank you for allowing me the opportunity to respond" saying something like "Firstly I would like to note that the name on your letter is misspelled, my correct name is [INSERT]."

Thank you so much for your help, and yes I will wait for other responses as well before sending. My mind and heart is racing, I‘m just afraid.

In terms of sending this letter. Shall I write it with hands on the same letter they have provided, ehre the ask to provide my side of the story? or Should I print out a computer version, signed, and dates and send that? Also, do I just send the response or also the letters which i received (2 copies, attached in the original post)

 

[John R]

We recommend replying on a computer typed version. Make sure you put the case reference on all pages though, in case the sheets get separated.

 

[z444z]

Thank you so much for your help, and yes I will wait for other responses as well before sending. My mind and heart is racing, I‘m just afraid.

You'll be fine. GTR almost always settle. The only two cases we've seen recently where court proceedings have been commenced have been right up against the 6 month deadline - yours is nowhere near - and if I remember correctly one or both of those were eventually settled with the court case withdrawn.

In terms of sending this letter. Shall I write it with hands on the same letter they have provided, ehre the ask to provide my side of the story?

Print and attach.

Also, do I just send the response or also the letters which i received (2 copies, attached in the original post)

Doesn't hurt to send them a copy of their letter to help them match it up, especially if they've sent you two copies.

 

[n1287737]

You'll be fine. GTR almost always settle. The only two cases we've seen recently where court proceedings have been commenced have been right up against the 6 month deadline - yours is nowhere near - and if I remember correctly one or both of those were eventually settled with the court case withdrawn.

Print and attach.

Doesn't hurt to send them a copy of their letter to help them match it up, especially if they've sent you two copies.

I appreciate the support!

Those 2 cases that you mentioned, what do you mean by 6 months deadline? Do you mean that in terms of responding back to them?

Do I need to sign the letter or just name in yours sincerely is sufficient? And in terms of date shall I just add it within the header/foots

In terms of railcard evidence shall I provide the purchase reference/email confirmation or the actual railcard (hesitant to provide the railcard as it contains my face picture) Also will they bring up previous cases of journey where I travelled without a railcard in the timeframe where my railcard was expired, I just reviewed the purchase history and i think there have been 8 or 9 journeys in that timespan

 

[WesternLancer]

Thank you so much for your help, and yes I will wait for other responses as well before sending. My mind and heart is racing, I‘m just afraid.

In terms of sending this letter. Shall I write it with hands on the same letter they have provided, ehre the ask to provide my side of the story? or Should I print out a computer version, signed, and dates and send that? Also, do I just send the response or also the letters which i received (2 copies, attached in the original post)

Further to the advice given on your reply

- keep a copy of everything / every page you send so that you have a full record of all of this should you need it further down the process (just in case) - be prepared to keep that safe long term too.

- post it Tracked Postage (tracked 48 is probably ok) from a local post office (so you can check and prove it was delivered if that was required) - keep a copy of the delivery proof that you will get with the tracking - you probably don't need the more expensive 'guaranteed next day delivery' service from the post office however.

 

[z444z]

Those 2 cases that you mentioned, what do you mean by 6 months deadline? Do you mean that in terms of responding back to them?

The railway company has 6 months from the date of the alleged offence to file the prosecution with the court. There were only a few days left until this deadline when court papers were issued in those two cases.

Do I need to sign the letter or just name in yours sincerely is sufficient? And in terms of date shall I just add it within the header/foots

I don't think it matters too much but do sign if you want to be safe and it's not too much hassle. Put the date at the top.

In terms of railcard evidence shall I provide the purchase reference/email confirmation or the actual railcard (hesitant to provide the railcard as it contains my face picture)

Given the details of this case I'd go with the email confirmation but they might ask you for an image of the actual railcard. However I think that's unlikely as you having bought a railcard probably isn't going to be what their decision hinges on.

Also will they bring up previous cases of journey where I travelled without a railcard in the timeframe where my railcard was expired, I just reviewed the purchase history and i think there have been 8 or 9 journeys in that timespan

It's possible yes - we really should have asked you if there were other journeys but nobody remembered to it seems, the focus has been on the slightly unusual elements of this case! Let's deal with how to respond to that when it comes, but what you can do is calculate the maximum they might ask you for to make sure you have it set aside. It'll likely be a £150 admin fee plus the Anytime single fare for each journey (with a return being 2x singles, no discount for returns).

 

[n1287737]

Thanks for the detailed response.

Shall I sign it on the word document or sign the print out version of the paper?

I believe the email confirmation for purchase of railcard is now deleted. Shall I just attach a copy of the rail card, obscuring my face picture with neutral colour.

Could you please review the draft letter I‘ve attached, in terms of man body, format, and other details.

I hope this is resolved soon! thank you for the support

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Feb 2026 ==

Further to the advice given on your reply

- keep a copy of everything / every page you send so that you have a full record of all of this should you need it further down the process (just in case) - be prepared to keep that safe long term too.

- post it Tracked Postage (tracked 48 is probably ok) from a local post office (so you can check and prove it was delivered if that was required) - keep a copy of the delivery proof that you will get with the tracking - you probably don't need the more expensive 'guaranteed next day delivery' service from the post office however.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Feb 2026 ==

The railway company has 6 months from the date of the alleged offence to file the prosecution with the court. There were only a few days left until this deadline when court papers were issued in those two cases.

I don't think it matters too much but do sign if you want to be safe and it's not too much hassle. Put the date at the top.

Given the details of this case I'd go with the email confirmation but they might ask you for an image of the actual railcard. However I think that's unlikely as you having bought a railcard probably isn't going to be what their decision hinges on.

It's possible yes - we really should have asked you if there were other journeys but nobody remembered to it seems, the focus has been on the slightly unusual elements of this case! Let's deal with how to respond to that when it comes, but what you can do is calculate the maximum they might ask you for to make sure you have it set aside. It'll likely be a £150 admin fee plus the Anytime single fare for each journey (with a return being 2x singles, no discount for returns).

Further to the advice given on your reply

- keep a copy of everything / every page you send so that you have a full record of all of this should you need it further down the process (just in case) - be prepared to keep that safe long term too.

- post it Tracked Postage (tracked 48 is probably ok) from a local post office (so you can check and prove it was delivered if that was required) - keep a copy of the delivery proof that you will get with the tracking - you probably don't need the more expensive 'guaranteed next day delivery' service from the post office however.

Noted, thank you so much.

In what instances cases are commenxed to court? Is it a rare occurence?

 

[WesternLancer]

Thanks for the detailed response.

Shall I sign it on the word document or sign the print out version of the paper?

I believe the email confirmation for purchase of railcard is now deleted. Shall I just attach a copy of the rail card, obscuring my face picture with neutral colour.

Could you please review the draft letter I‘ve attached, in terms of man body, format, and other details.

I hope this is resolved soon! thank you for the support

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Feb 2026 ==

Sign it on the print out.
Then photo the signed copy for your records.

Don’t blank out your photo on the railcard. They need to know it’s yours! Blanking it out will arouse suspicion unnecessarily.

If you don’t want to send it to them just say you bought one or include the serial number which must surely be somewhere on the railcard itself. even if you don’t have the receipt with that detailed

 

[z444z]

I think sending them an image of a railcard with the photo obscured would look very suspicious.

 

[WesternLancer]

In what instances cases are commenxed to court? Is it a rare occurence?

They take hundreds of cases to court each year. But mostly where people fail to reply to the sort of letter you’ve been sent and bury their head in the sand thinking they are bluffing about it.

 

[n1287737]

Sign it on the print out.
Then photo the signed copy for your records.

Don’t blank out your photo on the railcard. They need to know it’s yours! Blanking it out will arouse suspicion unnecessarily.

If you don’t want to send it to them just say you bought one or include the serial number which must surely be somewhere on the railcard itself. even if you don’t have the receipt with that detailed

Thank you, I will do that.

Instead of sending a photo of the railcard, I will just mention the railcard number and date of issuance and validity on the letter.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Feb 2026 ==

I think sending them an image of a railcard with the photo obscured would look very suspicious.

Instead of sending a photo, I will then just mention the railcard number, validity, and issuance date on the letter, is that better?

 

[WesternLancer]

Thank you, I will do that.

Instead of sending a photo of the railcard, I will just mention the railcard number and date of issuance and validity on the letter.

I think that will be fine.

 

[n1287737]

I think that will be fine.

Thanks, shall I wait for other opinions or send the letter tomorrow?

 

[WesternLancer]

You could wait until tomorrow afternoon before sending it I guess. So long as it’s with royal
Mail by about 3pm it will be in the post

 

[n1287737]

Okay, thanks I will await till noon tomorrow.

Given my case what do you expect the outcome to be? and how long does it take to hear back from them?

 

[WesternLancer]

Okay, thanks I will await till noon tomorrow.

Given my case what do you expect the outcome to be? and how long does it take to hear back from them?

Good chance of out of court settlement.
Could be a week or two before you hear back but sometimes it’s quicker.