Merseyrail prosecution advice

[howjl]

I travel on merseyrail. I usually buy a pass termly for my school, I stopped for a term owing to exams as it was just easier to buy individual tickets. following this I went to school on the first day of a new term to get the school to sign the slip so I could revalidate my old pass. However on my way back from school I was stopped by the traffic enforcers and did not have either a ticket (as I planned on buying a termly pass the following day which in my mind would have covered the day) or money to buy one. I do realise what I did was wrong. However as I didn't have the money to buy one I have been informed I will receive a letter which may summon me to court. I have been reading up on the subject and my prosecution could be anything between £75 and £1000 and owing to the huge cost disparity I am looking for somebody to clear this up for me.

many thanks

 

[Hellfire]

You were travelling on a train without a valid ticket. Not much to clear up there I think. Suggest you wait until you get the letter from Merseyrail and write a grovelling apology. They may well decide to accept a settlement in lieu of the expense of taking you to court.

If you travelled to school by train without a ticket to validate your pass you committed another offence but, luckily for you, were not stopped.

Suggesting you were going to buy a pass the following day after you have been caught is probably not a great idea. Anyone could say that.

Why didn't you buy your pass before your return home?

 

[howjl]

I didn't want to take 100 pounds to school with me, I admit that it was wrong, it was more about the price disparity of my offence. On the site it says with no previous cases then £75 will be charged is that always the case? sorry I just don't know what to do

 

[Hellfire]

I didn't want to take 100 pounds to school with me, I admit that it was wrong, it was more about the price disparity of my offence. On the site it says with no previous cases then £75 will be charged is that always the case? sorry I just don't know what to do

You can't do anything now until you get the letter from Merseyrail which will ask you to put your side of the case. I suggest you answer honestly and truthfully, put your hands up and promise never to do it again.

My feeling is that, if they realise you are still at school, they are more likely to settle because taking you to court would be something of a waste of time if you have no income. £75 sounds about right to me. I have no experience of Merseyrail but Northern charge around £80.

 

[howjl]

okay thankyou so much, I know it was stupid, I've just been really worried about a huge fine or it going on my record or something. I'll just have to see how it all turns out, thankyou

 

[yorkie]

Your age may make a difference, though it is unclear what that is, but it sounds like you may be under 18. I assume by "school" you really mean college or '6th form'?

Some TOCs have a policy of not prosecuting under 18s.

On the site it says with no previous cases then £75 will be charged is that always the case? sorry I just don't know what to do

On what site? Edit: OK, I see now, that £75 is effectively an out of court settlement.

I suggest you settle the matter with Merseyrail.

If you let it go to Court, and you are found guilty, then in addition to a criminal record, you will be liable to pay the fare due, plus costs incurred by Merseyrail, and a fine imposed by the Court (the fine itself wouldn't go to Merseyrail).

I have given you access to our Fares & Ticketing Guide, in particular you may find the Disputes section to be helpful.

 

[Swirlz]

Merseyrail will ask you, (or rather the parent/guardian of you), for £75.00 as an Administrative Penalty, in lieu of prosecution, providing it is the first offence.

http://www.merseyrail.org/media/82046/Prosecutions FAQ's on Web Site.doc

(NB. Merseyrail charge £50.00 Penalty for Byelaw 6(8) Byelaw regarding Feet on Seats, £75 for RoRA 1889 ticket related prosecutions)

 

[soil]

Depending on age they may do nothing.

If they did prosecute you, it would a few hundred in court.

 

[Hellfire]

If they did prosecute you, it would a few hundred in court.

A fine in a magistrates court has to take account of income. If the OP is at school and has no income the fine would reflect that. IN any case it would not be anything like a few hundred.

Given the situation of the OP, and I have not seen any clarification of his/her age, it's highly unlikely this will go anywhere near a court

 

[185]

If aged 16, which judging by the dates of exams would make sense, don't quote me on this, not too long ago Merseyrail have brought people in for a 'disciplinary' ie go and sit in a room and get told off by their RPIs for a first time offence.

Was technically a brilliant idea, until a relative of mine got hauled in for not buying a ticket .....when the (fulltime) ticket office was infact shut due to staff sickness. I tagged along and it was the most reluctant apology I've ever heard from a quite embarrassed looking railway manager.