Prosecution letter for a railcard expiration

[Gold]

Hi please I need urgent help
Date of travel :2nd April 2025
Issue : Expired Railcard
Prosecution case

My railcard got expired 14/03/2025 and I wasn’t aware
on the 02/04/2025 I purchase a ticket and indicated I have a railcard using my Trainline
Not knowing that it was expired
I was approached by an inspector upon which he asked me to and I boldly opened it only to find out it was expired


I pleaded but he said I would be penalised
I tried to purchase another one but the internet and my email wasn’t responding

He took my details and last month I was sent a form to fill in my side of the story and afterwards today I was sent a court letter
A single justice prosecution notice to be precise

Please I do not want to have a criminal record
I am now being asked to plead guilty and appear in court

Please is there any way I can settle out of court with Thameslink

I can not purposely do this
And I do not want to pay a £1000 fine or prison issue

 

[jfollows]

Welcome to the forum, but please don’t post in CAPITALS because it’s seen as the equivalent of shouting.

What form did you receive last month and what was your reply?

Normally, if you reply acknowledging your mistake and promising not to repeat it, an out of court settlement can be agreed.

Since you’ve now been taken to court, you are probably beyond this, so why?

However you’re not being asked to plead guilty!

Oh, and you will not be going to prison. They’re all full anyway.

 

[Gold]

Oh thanks
I won’t use capital letter anymore
I did reply acknowledging my mistake
But I wasn’t given any penalty otherwise it would have been stated that I was and maybe didn’t reply
This is what was sent
Please advise
How do I reach an out of court settlement with this

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Sep 2025 ==

And please is the £135 mentioned on here is it an out of court settlement offer?

Welcome to the forum, but please don’t post in CAPITALS because it’s seen as the equivalent of shouting.

What form did you receive last month and what was your reply?

Normally, if you reply acknowledging your mistake and promising not to repeat it, an out of court settlement can be agreed.

Since you’ve now been taken to court, you are probably beyond this, so why?

However you’re not being asked to plead guilty!

Oh, and you will not be going to prison. They’re all full anyway.

Please the £135 mentioned is that an out of court settlement option

 

[jfollows]

No, £135 is an application for costs from the court on top of a fine and a criminal record.
What was the response you sent last month?

 

[Gold]

Please what do I do
Please

No, £135 is an application for costs from the court on top of a fine and a criminal record.

 

[simonw]

Hi please I need urgent help
Date of travel :2nd April 2025
Issue : Expired Railcard
Prosecution case

My railcard got expired 14/03/2025 and I wasn’t aware
on the 02/04/2025 I purchase a ticket and indicated I have a railcard using my Trainline
Not knowing that it was expired
I was approached by an inspector upon which he asked me to and I boldly opened it only to find out it was expired


I pleaded but he said I would be penalised
I tried to purchase another one but the internet and my email wasn’t responding

He took my details and last month I was sent a form to fill in my side of the story and afterwards today I was sent a court letter
A single justice prosecution notice to be precise

Please I do not want to have a criminal record
I am now being asked to plead guilty and appear in court

Please is there any way I can settle out of court with Thameslink

I can not purposely do this
And I do not want to pay a £1000 fine or prison issue

Do you have a copy of the initial correspondence and your reply?

 

[Gold]

Do you have a copy of the initial correspondence and your reply?

Yes this is it
My reply was online
I replied explaining to them they asked me to provide the railcard I did provide it letting them know I bought it after the incident

 

[WesternLancer]

Looks to me like the op has some time yet to go back to Thameslink with a better attempt to seek an out of court settlement than whatever they sent before. The deadline being the date by which they have to plead on those court papers. 22 days from date on papers. With possibility to then eXtend that window of opportunity by pleading not guilty on the court papers.

OP. Do not return these court papers yet. Wait for advice here on your best next steps.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Sep 2025 ==

Yes this is it
My reply was online
I replied explaining to them they asked me to provide the railcard I did provide it letting them know I bought it after the incident View attachment 188293

Well if your reply was on line that will be part of the problem. Thameslink
Make it very clear you can’t provide mitigating replies any other way than hard copy post. So they may simply have ignored what you sent on line!

That is exactly what the section in bold snd underlined means. In the letter you have just uploaded.

 

[simonw]

Yes this is it
My reply was online
I replied explaining to them they asked me to provide the railcard I did provide it letting them know I bought it after the incident View attachment 188293

That letter clearly states that any reply needs to be in writing and sent by post. If you emailed them it is likely they have ignored your email.

I would try and contact them by post and see if they will let you settle out of court. Failing that plead not guilty and try and reach a settlement with the prosecution on the day at the court before the case is heard.

 

[Gold]

Ok
I’ll contact them through post and I hope they let me settle it out of court

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Sep 2025 ==

If I plead not guilty
If they don’t accept out of court settlement
How would I get an option of reaching an out of court settlement

That letter clearly states that any reply needs to be in writing and sent by post. If you emailed them it is likely they have ignored your email.

I would try and contact them by post and see if they will let you settle out of court. Failing that plead not guilty and try and reach a settlement with the prosecution on the day at the court before the case is heard.

 

[WesternLancer]

Ok
I’ll contact them through post and I hope they let me settle it out of court

Start work on a letter you can post them. Draft that up. See other threads for examples.
Do not send that letter until your wording has been checked by people here.

Do the letter tonight. Then we can check it in the morning

then you can post it to Thameslink in the afternoon gauranteed next day delivery.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Sep 2025 ==

Ok
I’ll contact them through post and I hope they let me settle it out of court

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Sep 2025 ==

If I plead not guilty
If they don’t accept out of court settlement
How would I get an option of reaching an out of court settlement

Do not plead anything yet. You do not need to plead now. Pause on that. Concentrate on a letter asking them for out of court settlement and if they will consider withdrawing the court action.

 

[Gold]

Start work on a letter you can post them. Draft that up. See other threads for examples.
Do not send that letter until your wording has been checked by people here.

Do the letter tonight. Then we can check it in the morning

then you can post it to Thameslink in the afternoon gauranteed next day delivery.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Sep 2025 ==


Do not plead anything yet. You do not need to plead now. Pause on that. Concentrate on a letter asking them for out of court settlement and if they will consider withdrawing the court action.

I’ll do just this
I’ll post the letter on here this night
Thanks a lot

 

[WesternLancer]

I’ll do just this
I’ll post the letter on here this night
Thanks a lot

Great. That’s a good plan

People here can then check it for you.

Basic structure as follows. Try to keep it clear and brief but cover these points

- apologies for what has happened
- apologise for not replying to their earlier letter in the correct way and now realise that your request for mitigation may not have been received correctly because of this
- say you didn’t realise railcard had expired until inspection pointed this out
- say you had no intention to evade paying the correct fare (assuming that is true)
- state you realise it was your responsibility to check railcard and sorry you failed to do this before travel
- ask if they would be kind enough to settle the matter out of court and withdraw the court action comnenced
- offer to pay any fare owed plus their costs involved in investigating this

 

[jfollows]

If you now have a new, valid railcard then you should also say this in your letter.

 

[Gold]

Request for an out of court settlement



Dear Thameslink,

I am writing to request an out of court settlement for Case

I sincerely apologise first of all for my negligence to check my railcard activeness before attempting this journey . It is and was never my intention to evade paying the correct fare. You can ask the inspector I was surprised myself finding out during inspection. He even gave me the option of purchasing the railcard but there was no network and I couldn’t access my mail for my password. It is solely my responsibility to check my railcard but I failed to do that because I was in a hurry to board the train. I sincerely apologise again for this
Prior to this I have bought a new railcard and I have been using it right after this incident this is the railcard number ( No



However , A Notice of intent to prosecute was sent and I sincerely apologise for replying the wrong way I only replied via online when it was stated clearly to reply through post and this made my Mitigation not to be received clearly.

Please I was going through some health issues that didn’t let me concentrate on this thoroughly because I should have done better.



Please If you would be kind enough to settle this matter out of court and please withdraw the court action commenced. I am willing to pay any fare owed plus the costs involved in investigating this.

 

[jfollows]

The only change I suggest is to change

Prior to this I have bought a new railcard
to
I have now bought a new railcard

but others will have good input also

 

[Gold]

The only change I suggest is to change

Prior to this I have bought a new railcard
to
I have now bought a new railcard

but others will have good input also

Oh true
Wrong use of vocabulary
Thanks I will change that

 

[30907]

The only change I suggest is to change

Prior to this I have bought a new railcard
to
I have now bought a new railcard

but others will have good input also

I would take out the two sentences about the Inspector as they don't add anything - keep the letter short

 

[Gold]

I would take out the two sentences about the Inspector as they don't add anything - keep the letter short

Ok noted

 

[WesternLancer]

Request for an out of court settlement



Dear Thameslink,

I am writing to request an out of court settlement for Case

I sincerely apologise first of all for my negligence to check my railcard activeness before attempting this journey . It is and was never my intention to evade paying the correct fare. You can ask the inspector I was surprised myself finding out during inspection. He even gave me the option of purchasing the railcard but there was no network and I couldn’t access my mail for my password. It is solely my responsibility to check my railcard but I failed to do that because I was in a hurry to board the train. I sincerely apologise again for this
Prior to this I have bought a new railcard and I have been using it right after this incident this is the railcard number ( No



However , A Notice of intent to prosecute was sent and I sincerely apologise for replying the wrong way I only replied via online when it was stated clearly to reply through post and this made my Mitigation not to be received clearly.

Please I was going through some health issues that didn’t let me concentrate on this thoroughly because I should have done better.



Please If you would be kind enough to settle this matter out of court and please withdraw the court action commenced. I am willing to pay any fare owed plus the costs involved in investigating this.

If you can bear with me I’ll check your draft in the morning and suggest some amends. Good work on getting this drafted asap however.

 

[Gold]

If you can bear with me I’ll check your draft in the morning and suggest some amends. Good work on getting this drafted asap however.

Thanks a lot

 

[WesternLancer]

@Gold

Here are my suggested changes - up to you if you are happy with them

- Obviously complete the blanks and remove the strikethroughs

- make sure every page you send has you name and address and Thameslink GTR reference number on it. Sign it
Print this off and post it today before mid afternoon (from a post office, ideally using next day guaranteed delivery so they get it on Monday - keep the tracking receipt from the Post Office so you can check on line when it has been delivered) to this address (the address on the letter you uploaded earlier - you are not sending this letter to the court)

Prosecutions Department, Govia Thameslink Railway, Eastside Offices, Kings Cross Railway Station, London N1C 4AX.

Here is an e-mail address for them that might be of help too - you could also e-mail it (and include a line in the e-mail that syas for example 'as sent by post today' but they migth ignore the e-mail again as they did with your previous reply - which is why posting it is vital

email: gtr.prosecutions@gtrailway.com

---------------------------------------------
DRAFT STARTS:


Dear Thameslink,

Urgent request to settle without court action
Ref: [insert case ref numbers from letter and court paperwork]

I am writing to urgently request if you would be kind enough to consider an out of court settlement for my case. I have just received court paperwork relating to this and I am most anxious to try to resolve the matter without it progressing to court.

I received your original letter of 30 July 2025 about travelling with an expired railcard. Unfortunately I did not understand how to submit my mitigation correctly so I am concerned this was not taken into account before.

I sincerely apologise first of all for my negligence in not to checking my railcard was valid activeness before attempting this journey. It is and was never my intention to evade paying the correct fare. You can ask the inspector I was surprised myself finding out during inspection. He even gave me the option of purchasing the railcard but there was no network and I couldn’t access my mail for my password.

I understand it is solely my responsibility to check my railcard but I failed to do that because I was in a hurry to board the train. I sincerely apologise again for this.

Prior to this I have When this was brought to my attention I bought a new railcard and I have been using it right after this incident this is the railcard number (No...............)

However , A Notice of Intent to prosecute has now been sent to me and I am anxious to avoid court action. was sent and I sincerely apologise for replying the wrong way as I only replied via online when it was stated clearly to reply through post and I now realise this made my Mitigation not to be received clearly. Please I was going through some health issues that didn’t let me concentrate on this thoroughly because I should have done better.

Please, If you would be kind enough to settle this matter out of court and please withdraw the court action commenced I would be extremely grateful.

I am willing to pay any fare owed plus the costs involved in investigating this in the hope this can be resolved quickly and the court action be prevented.

I can be contacted by e-mail at [insert your e-mail address]
and by post at [insert your postal address]

Thank you in advance for your consideration of this request and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully

 

[Gold]

Oh wow thanks a lot
I’ll do just this

 

[WesternLancer]

Separately I would suggest the following advice regarding the court papers - I hope this is clear - if anyone on here thinks any of this is not good advice do please correct me!

- You should keep the court papers safe, but not return them yet.

The outcome you want to achieve is to get Thameslink / GTR to agree to settle out of court and withdraw the court papers and for that to happen before the date you must return the court papers by which is 21 days after 10 sept - so in reality you will need to be posting them back to the court on say 26th or 27th September. You must not miss this date. So this creates the urgency for the solution deadline date - but when you have sent your letter off the ball is with GTR.

As it gets nearer the 26th September you may need to come back here for advice on what to do if you have not heard from GTR by that time (think about updating your thread on 22nd September if you need more help)

- Going forwards these are things for you to think about doing

- if it gets closer to 24th and you have not heard back from today's letter, try any method you can to contact GTR prosecutions (e-mail / even phone if you can get through to someone - which is not easy from what we see here) - just a simple - 'have you had any chance to consider my letter and request to pay a settlement and withdraw court action ' type of thing including your reference number.

- If GTR do agree to withdraw it - ask GTR to confirm that in writing to you and make sure that the court are made aware of this (you should contact the court in writing with a copy of the written confirmation from GTR that they are withdrawing the case I would think ie don't just assume GTR will do this even though they probably will)

- I'm not an expert on court process but I've have often seen it on this forum that if this is not resolved by that deadline for court paperwork to be submitted you can return the court papers with a 'Not Guilty' plea. AIUI the reason to do this is that then the court has to set a date to hear the case in person (so you would then have to go to court in person) but that then happens at some future point when the court has a time - thus giving you yet more time, perhaps a few more weeks, to try and negotiate with GTR to withdraw the prosecution. A way to buy more time before being prosecuted basically.

- If all that fails you should be prepared to go to court on the day the case is listed for trial - the court would advise you of this date in due course - and find the prosecutor working for GTR and try and persuade them to drop it at the last minute. We have seen this happen.

I's keep in touch with the forum as things develop if you need advice on the above or anything else.

Good luck with next steps - for now just get the letter to GTR in the post today.

 

[Gold]

This has been so helpful thanks

 

[MotCO]

When you post your letter, send it 'Royal Mail Tracked 24' - you need to do this at a Post Office or sub Post Office. This way, you have proof that they received the letter.

Other 'Signed for' options are available, but Tracked allows you to follow its progress.

 

[Gold]

Good afternoon
I received this letter now
I’m so grateful for this
Please how do I move on ?

Separately I would suggest the following advice regarding the court papers - I hope this is clear - if anyone on here thinks any of this is not good advice do please correct me!

- You should keep the court papers safe, but not return them yet.

The outcome you want to achieve is to get Thameslink / GTR to agree to settle out of court and withdraw the court papers and for that to happen before the date you must return the court papers by which is 21 days after 10 sept - so in reality you will need to be posting them back to the court on say 26th or 27th September. You must not miss this date. So this creates the urgency for the solution deadline date - but when you have sent your letter off the ball is with GTR.

As it gets nearer the 26th September you may need to come back here for advice on what to do if you have not heard from GTR by that time (think about updating your thread on 22nd September if you need more help)

- Going forwards these are things for you to think about doing

- if it gets closer to 24th and you have not heard back from today's letter, try any method you can to contact GTR prosecutions (e-mail / even phone if you can get through to someone - which is not easy from what we see here) - just a simple - 'have you had any chance to consider my letter and request to pay a settlement and withdraw court action ' type of thing including your reference number.

- If GTR do agree to withdraw it - ask GTR to confirm that in writing to you and make sure that the court are made aware of this (you should contact the court in writing with a copy of the written confirmation from GTR that they are withdrawing the case I would think ie don't just assume GTR will do this even though they probably will)

- I'm not an expert on court process but I've have often seen it on this forum that if this is not resolved by that deadline for court paperwork to be submitted you can return the court papers with a 'Not Guilty' plea. AIUI the reason to do this is that then the court has to set a date to hear the case in person (so you would then have to go to court in person) but that then happens at some future point when the court has a time - thus giving you yet more time, perhaps a few more weeks, to try and negotiate with GTR to withdraw the prosecution. A way to buy more time before being prosecuted basically.

- If all that fails you should be prepared to go to court on the day the case is listed for trial - the court would advise you of this date in due course - and find the prosecutor working for GTR and try and persuade them to drop it at the last minute. We have seen this happen.

I's keep in touch with the forum as things develop if you need advice on the above or anything else.

Good luck with next steps - for now just get the letter to GTR in the post today.

 

[Titfield]

Good afternoon
I received this letter now
I’m so grateful for this
Please how do I move on ?

That is an out of court settlement.

Pay the sum stated and the matter is then closed.

Keep copies of the correspondence and the payment.

EDIT

GTR should then withdraw the case but you should email and ask them for confirmation the case has been withdrawn (obviously after you have made the payment).

 

[benjiab]

Good afternoon
I received this letter now
I’m so grateful for this
Please how do I move on ?

Congratulations. I hope you dont mind me asking as I have had the exact same issue and with the exact same dates (railcard expired, traveled on Apr 2nd Kings Cross to Cambridge, request for rail card issued on Aug 1, and SJP on Sept 12); I have just sent my letter to the prosecution department with the 24H tracked service; would you know when i can expect there response, based on your experience?

 

[Gold]

Congratulations. I hope you dont mind me asking as I have had the exact same issue and with the exact same dates (railcard expired, traveled on Apr 2nd Kings Cross to Cambridge, request for rail card issued on Aug 1, and SJP on Sept 12); I have just sent my letter to the prosecution department with the 24H tracked service; would you know when i can expect there response, based on your experience?

I sent mine on Friday
I got the letter just now