Stupidly used my father's ticket - advice needed

[MillieMoo23]

I travel from Chelmsford to London Liverpool Street (Greater Anglia) most days, but because I work outside of London 15 weeks of the year, it is cheaper for me to buy daily, weekly or monthly tickets. This week I have been using daily tickets but today my father wasn't working so I used his ticket. In all honesty, I didn't know you couldn't use someone else's ticket. After all he's paid for a seat on the train which he wasn't going to be using. Anyway, I got stopped at Liverpool Street and because the photocard numbers didnt match, his ticket was confiscated and I was cautioned and asked various questions as to why I was using his ticket. I am now really worried as he said it might be taken to court or a fine. I'm happy to pay the fine as I now know I was in the wrong. Is there any advice out there for me to try and settley out of court. Does anyone know whether Greater Anglia puruse cases and take people to court?
And what will happen to my father's ticket? The attendant that took my details said it was going to be sent to the Chelmsford office, will he get in trouble for giving me his ticket?
Any advice will be gratefully received

 

[bb21]

I assume that it was a season ticket. Is that right?

Did he knowingly give you his ticket? If so, he can probably say bye to it so be prepared for the worst.

I'm not sure how far claiming you don't know the ticket is not transferable will take you. What else do you think Photocards are for?

You can of course try and apologise and even beg them for a settlement. There is always a chance that they will, but be prepared for a substantial figure.

Do you have any old tickets that might help persuade them you are normally honest?

 

[Darandio]

After all he's paid for a seat on the train which he wasn't going to be using.

Pure pedantry of course, but if I didn't say it you can be sure someone else will.

Your father hasn't paid for a seat, he's paid to travel on the train.

Did he knowingly give you his ticket?

That was the first question that came to me but the latter part of the OP says this...

will he get in trouble for giving me his ticket?

....which suggests to me he knew.

 

[MillieMoo23]

I assume that it was a season ticket. Is that right?

Did he knowingly give you his ticket? If so, he can probably say bye to it so be prepared for the worst.

I'm not sure how far claiming you don't know the ticket is not transferable will take you. What else do you think Photocards are for?

You can of course try and apologise and even beg them for a settlement. There is always a chance that they will, but be prepared for a substantial figure.

Do you have any old tickets that might help persuade them you are normally honest?

My father's ticket is an annual season ticket and said I could use the ticket. To keep him out of trouble, should I say I took it without him knowing?

Because I am trying to see if buying daily/weekly/monthly tickets instead of an annual ticket works out cheaper for me, due to not being in London for 15 weeks, I have kept all my tickets since January.

Do you think I should write to them before receiving their letter?

 

[bb21]

My father's ticket is an annual season ticket and said I could use the ticket. To keep him out of trouble, should I say I took it without him knowing?

There is no guarantee that he will see the ticket again ether way, but more likely if he knew nothing about it, although if you admit to stealing from your father, you could end up in a worse situation as you are admitting to deliberate fraud. There is no perfect answer unfortunately.

One or both of you could even be called in for an interview.

Because I am trying to see if buying daily/weekly/monthly tickets instead of an annual ticket works out cheaper for me, due to not being in London for 15 weeks, I have kept all my tickets since January.

If you can establish that those were the days you needed to go to work then they could help strengthen your case that it was a one off. (The last 2-3 months should be sufficient.) If you cannot and if the tickets contain a lot of gaps then they could raise more questions, in which case I would say leave them out.

Do you think I should write to them before receiving their letter?

Wait for the letter. Give them a good few weeks to process the matter and decide whether they want to speak to you first. Eight weeks is a good guide but many cases can take longer.

Train companies like settlements because they get to keep all the money. If this is your first time on their radar, there is a good chance they will settle if shown the right attitude.

 

[theironroad]

Sounds like it could get messy. Meanwhile, your dad is going to have buy new tickets for his journey from Monday while it is all sorted out and decisions are made how far to take it.

 

[najaB]

It will be very hard to convince the TOCs prosecutors that you didn't know what you were doing was wrong. You have a photocard and purchase season tickets yourself so you should know that you need to present your photocard to buy the ticket.

 

[jon0844]

Hard. I'd say impossible. Season tickets not only have a photo card number but usually a space to enter your (sur)name. It's totally obvious so I don't recommend using that as a defence.

 

[broadgage]

As others have posted, a claim that you believed the ticket was transferable is unlikely to help.
Not only do photocards have to be used with season tickets, and for what purpose other than to prevent use by someone else, but also the ticket itself is printed "not transferable"

They would be entitled to prosecute, but might settle out of court, if you reply in a suitably contrite way and offer to pay the amount defrauded and their administrative expenses.

 

[najaB]

They would be entitled to prosecute, but might settle out of court, if you reply in a suitably contrite way and offer to pay the amount defrauded and their administrative expenses.

The difficulty comes in establishing the amount defrauded - how is it possible to prove that this was a one-off?

 

[MillieMoo23]

I'm having difficulty in replying to my original thread so I'm starting a new one.

Original post
I travel from Chelmsford to London Liverpool Street (Greater Anglia) most days, but because I work outside of London 15 weeks of the year, it is cheaper for me to buy daily, weekly or monthly tickets. This week I have been using daily tickets but today my father wasn't working so I used his ticket. In all honesty, I didn't know you couldn't use someone else's ticket. After all he's paid for a seat on the train which he wasn't going to be using. Anyway, I got stopped at Liverpool Street and because the photocard numbers didnt match, his ticket was confiscated and I was cautioned and asked various questions as to why I was using his ticket. I am now really worried as he said it might be taken to court or a fine. I'm happy to pay the fine as I now know I was in the wrong. Is there any advice out there for me to try and settley out of court. Does anyone know whether Greater Anglia puruse cases and take people to court?
And what will happen to my father's ticket? The attendant that took my details said it was going to be sent to the Chelmsford office, will he get in trouble for giving me his ticket?
Any advice will be gratefully received

Update
My dad was able to get his ticket back immediately which was great. Today I received my letter from the prosecutions unit stating all the available evidence is being considered as to whether legal proceedings are appropriate and that if I consider there to be any mitigating circumstances that may influence the decision I should write on the back of the letter.
I'm wondering whether it's best to say that I know it was wrong and would like to settle out of court and be willing to pay any appropriate fine and costs involved. As mentioned before, I work out of London for 15 weeks of the year and have all my previous tickets or proof that I was on holiday or not in London. Do you think i should include this to prove it was only one day that I used the ticket?
Thanks for any advice

 

[319321]

Yes. You need to do *everything* you can to prevent a prosecution. Even if it fails to convince them not to prosecute, you can still keep a copy ready for your defence / mitigation in court.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

As others have pointed out, photocards are provided to prevent multiple useage. Thats why the numbers have to match. Sorry to say this but common sense surely should have told you alongside the wording on the ticket that says "not transferable" that the ticket cannot be used by anyone other than the party named on the ticket!

we all do silly things tho. Admit the error of picking up the wrong ticket by mistake and offer to settle out of court. As long as you have no previous they will more than likely take this path as its a swift conclusion and little to no administration/work.

We cannot offer any guarantees tho.....

 

[455driver]

As others have pointed out, photocards are provided to prevent multiple useage. Thats why the numbers have to match. Sorry to say this but common sense surely should have told you alongside the wording on the ticket that says "not transferable" that the ticket cannot be used by anyone other than the party named on the ticket!

we all do silly things tho. Admit the error of picking up the wrong ticket by mistake and offer to settle out of court. As long as you have no previous they will more than likely take this path as its a swift conclusion and little to no administration/work.

We cannot offer any guarantees tho.....

So you are advising the OP to lie!
Good move that! :roll:

 

[gimmea50anyday]

No not at all. From a post i read thats what i picked up the OP may have done. Reading more closely its late, ive not long finished a disrupted and late 11 hour shift!

No, absolutely. Dont lie. What i meant to say was admit to have made a mistake and offer an OCS. As 319321 has put you need to do everything to prevent!