NIP

[rem2005]

Please help!
I know this is completely my full and I take full responsibility for it, but I need some help/advice. I was stopped this morning by ticket inspectors at my arriving station and I did not have a valid ticket, he told me he was going to give me a fine and when it printed it says that “this is not a fine you will get a written letter in due course” so I was very confused. Done some research today and realised it’s the courts etc. My problem is I am leaving in 8weeks time to go travelling and move to Australia. I know that the letter typically take 2/3months to arrive but I will be gone by then. Is there anyway I can get this sorted before I leave with a fine to pay, if I get a criminal record etc it could jeopardise my chances of living in Australia.

 

[Hadders]

Welcome to the forum!

Which train company are you dealing with? What were the circumstances around you not having a valid ticket?

It sounds as though your details were taken so that a full investigation can take place. While it's highly likely that you've committed a criminal offence most train companies will offer an out of court settlement to people who co-operate with their investigation and who haven;t come to their attention before.

Will anyone be able to access your post while you are away? If so, you can make arrangements for it to be forwarded to you by email or whatsapp.

If there's no access ,then if you haven't heard from the train company a couple of weeks before you leave for Australia I would contact the Prosecutions Department of the train company and explain the situation (make sure you quite the case reference number so that it can be matched up with your case) and ask if they will contact you by email.

 

[rem2005]

It was thameslink railway, I didn’t purchase a ticket from my correct station and bought one from the stop before mine that hadn’t arrived yet, therefore didn’t have a valid ticket. There is no excuse for this, I have been fined a few times before (I’m 19). My mum will still be here and have access to post, is it likely they will send me a settlement fee instead of taking this straight to court. This situation is very distressing for me so some advice will be very much appreciated.

 

[Hadders]

There is no entitlement to an out of court settlement and GTR are entitled to prosecute you in the Magistrates Court if they want to. Frankly, many would argue that someone who has been fined a few times before really should be going to court, and would ask how serious the level of repeat offending needs to be before it ends up in court.

Given that your mum will have access to your post while you are away, I think it is best if you work together to make sure you get the letter. You will need to reply to it before the deadline - if you want to keep the matter out of court then you will need to interrupt your holiday to write your reply.