southeastern fare evasion

[cocoroo]

Hi everyone,

I received a "provisionally authorised for prosecution" letter from southeastern and would like to ask for advise for my reply letter. On that day, I was stopped at the exit gate by an officer and he found out that I bought only a partial ticket for my journey and it was a weekly season ticket. He asked me when did I start this, I said that week. But from the history of southeastern app, they could find that i started from the week before that. Also, i had a penalty fare before but i paid it already. Will these affect their actions? Can i send my reply through email instead of by post? Thank you so much for your help as i do really want to settle outside the court!

Dear Prosecutions Manager,

RE: Fare evasion incident on

I am writing in response to a letter dated 2024 regarding the fare evasion incident involving myself.

I would like to begin by expressing my sincere apologies for what has happened. I want to express my genuine regret and apologies for the situation, any trouble it may have caused, and any inconvenience it may have caused Southeastern Railway. I can guarantee you that this will not ever happen again.

I fully acknowledge that I am responsible for ensuring I have a valid ticket for the whole journey, and not having one can have serious consequences. I am eager to demonstrate my commitment to resolving this issue.

I understand there have been financial costs to Southeastern Railway and I would like to offer to cover these costs together with the outstanding fare for the journey. I was wondering if it would be possible to settle this matter without the need to go to court. I am very willing to co-operate with your process and pay the full amount owed immediately.

Once again, I deeply regret the situation and would like the opportunity to rectify my actions. I take this matter very seriously and understand the importance of adhering to the regulations set forth by Southeastern Railway.

I appreciate your consideration.

Yours faithfully,

 

[AlterEgo]

Hi everyone,

I received a "provisionally authorised for prosecution" letter from southeastern and would like to ask for advise for my reply letter. On that day, I was stopped at the exit gate by an officer and he found out that I bought only a partial ticket for my journey and it was a weekly season ticket. He asked me when did I start this, I said that week. But from the history of southeastern app, they could find that i started from the week before that. Also, i had a penalty fare before but i paid it already. Will these affect their actions? Can i send my reply through email instead of by post? Thank you so much for your help as i do really want to settle outside the court!

Dear Prosecutions Manager,

RE: Fare evasion incident on

I am writing in response to a letter dated 2024 regarding the fare evasion incident involving myself.

I would like to begin by expressing my sincere apologies for what has happened. I want to express my genuine regret and apologies for the situation, any trouble it may have caused, and any inconvenience it may have caused Southeastern Railway. I can guarantee you that this will not ever happen again.

I fully acknowledge that I am responsible for ensuring I have a valid ticket for the whole journey, and not having one can have serious consequences. I am eager to demonstrate my commitment to resolving this issue.

I understand there have been financial costs to Southeastern Railway and I would like to offer to cover these costs together with the outstanding fare for the journey. I was wondering if it would be possible to settle this matter without the need to go to court. I am very willing to co-operate with your process and pay the full amount owed immediately.

Once again, I deeply regret the situation and would like the opportunity to rectify my actions. I take this matter very seriously and understand the importance of adhering to the regulations set forth by Southeastern Railway.

I appreciate your consideration.

Yours faithfully,

That's a very insincere and impersonal letter. They will receive loads of these boilerplate letters which are lifted from @Hadders' template and it's up to you to put it in your voice and make it sound like you are actually sorry.

"I want to express my genuine regret and apologies for the situation" is circuitous language, say "I am sorry" which is more direct and in plain English. This sentence also comes immediately after the opening sentence which says the same thing.

"I can guarantee you" - remove the "can", it is a qualifier - say "you promise" - this is direct language.

"...can have serious consequences" - like what? Show you know what they are. You are trying to demonstrate you won't do this again.

Given you deliberately short fared, in what way are you demonstrating your "commitment to resolving this issue"? Did you buy the correct season ticket? If so, say so, and enclose a photocopy/picture of it or give the ticket number.

 

[John R]

understand the importance of adhering to the regulations set forth by Southeastern Railway

is also straight out of an AI template, and doesn't really cut it. I'd just drop that sentence.

 

[Gloster]

When did you get your previous penalty fare and what offence was it for?

 

[cocoroo]

When did you get your previous penalty fare and what offence was it for?

three weeks before this incident. without valid ticket on train

 

[AlterEgo]

three weeks before this incident. without valid ticket on train

So you moved from buying no tickets to short ticketing in the space of a few weeks? If southeastern manage to link the two incidents you’ll have a job persuading them you’re a changed character instead of a habitually dishonest person.

 

[SuspectUsual]

three weeks before this incident. without valid ticket on train

Look at it from the train company’s point of view. You got a penalty fare and then within two or three weeks you were evading fares again

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but why should they believe the stuff in your letter about learning your lesson?

 

[cocoroo]

That's a very insincere and impersonal letter. They will receive loads of these boilerplate letters which are lifted from @Hadders' template and it's up to you to put it in your voice and make it sound like you are actually sorry.

"I want to express my genuine regret and apologies for the situation" is circuitous language, say "I am sorry" which is more direct and in plain English. This sentence also comes immediately after the opening sentence which says the same thing.

"I can guarantee you" - remove the "can", it is a qualifier - say "you promise" - this is direct language.

"...can have serious consequences" - like what? Show you know what they are. You are trying to demonstrate you won't do this again.

Given you deliberately short fared, in what way are you demonstrating your "commitment to resolving this issue"? Did you buy the correct season ticket? If so, say so, and enclose a photocopy/picture of it or give the ticket number.

great idea, i will definitely attach my season ticket to it. Thank you so much for your suggestion!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Oct 2024 ==

is also straight out of an AI template, and doesn't really cut it. I'd just drop that sentence.

thank you for your advise

 

[skyhigh]

great idea, i will definitely attach my season ticket to it.

Your newly purchased correct season ticket, covering the full journey? Attaching the short weekly season you were caught evading with won't do you any favours at all.

 

[CFRAIL]

So multiple occasions of fare evasion a couple of weeks apart and you're hoping for another opportunity to put it right? Once, could've been seen as a mistake. Twice, is a choice you made

 

[Fermiboson]

Given the repeated nature of evasion, prosecution is much more likely than other cases we usually see on this forum. You would be well advised to upload the prosecution letter with personal details redacted so we can advise you on which offence they are planning to charge you with. It’s likely either going to be byelaw 18 (ticketless travel outside of penalty fare areas) or Regulations of Railway Act 5.3(a) (intent to avoid paying correct fare).

You should be expecting a court fine on the order of hundreds of pounds (others can advise on high/low hundreds depending on charge) depending on your income, with 40% victim surcharge on said fine, plus compensation for all fares they believe you have avoided. These amounts can be reduced if you plead guilty at the earliest opportunity. The court may agree to a payment plan if you need it, but court debt will take precedence over all other debt.

If you are charged under the byelaws you will have a non recordable criminal offence. If you are charged under RoRA you will have a criminal record which doesn’t show in Basic DBS checks but we generally advise that it is wise to disclose a conviction when asked, especially if you are in a regulated profession. Contact your union rep if you have any questions as to ways this could affect your employment status.

 

[LAX54]

Given the repeated nature of evasion, prosecution is much more likely than other cases we usually see on this forum. You would be well advised to upload the prosecution letter with personal details redacted so we can advise you on which offence they are planning to charge you with. It’s likely either going to be byelaw 18 (ticketless travel outside of penalty fare areas) or Regulations of Railway Act 5.3(a) (intent to avoid paying correct fare).

You should be expecting a court fine on the order of hundreds of pounds (others can advise on high/low hundreds depending on charge) depending on your income, with 40% victim surcharge on said fine, plus compensation for all fares they believe you have avoided. These amounts can be reduced if you plead guilty at the earliest opportunity. The court may agree to a payment plan if you need it, but court debt will take precedence over all other debt.

If you are charged under the byelaws you will have a non recordable criminal offence. If you are charged under RoRA you will have a criminal record which doesn’t show in Basic DBS checks but we generally advise that it is wise to disclose a conviction when asked, especially if you are in a regulated profession. Contact your union rep if you have any questions as to ways this could affect your employment status.

Possibly a case of 'they will throw the book at you ' ? especially after just a couple of weeks from the previous offence !

 

[cocoroo]

@LAX54 @Fermiboson thank you so much for your replies. do you mean that there is a higher chance for me to receive prosecution than be able to settle out of court?

 

[LAX54]

@LAX54 @Fermiboson thank you so much for your replies. do you mean that there is a higher chance for me to receive prosecution than be able to settle out of court?

If you read some other comments, which all say, you were caught with no valid tickets a few weeks previously, then caught again dodging fares, all they have to do is link the two together, which can be done easily if you bought online, plus you may still be in the memory of the staff in the office, BUT never say never !

 

[Fermiboson]

@LAX54 @Fermiboson thank you so much for your replies. do you mean that there is a higher chance for me to receive prosecution than be able to settle out of court?

I do not know the precise combination of probabilities. That said usually the advice we give is that as long as you co-operate with the TOC you are highly unlikely to be prosecuted. This is not the case here given your previous offence. However cooperating, admitting fault and being apologetic will still maximise your chances of avoiding a prosecution.

 

[cocoroo]

thank you for your help!