SWR response letter - advice pls

[ohmydays98]

Posting this on behalf of my 19 yr old who has been caught for short-fareing (is that a word) at the end of August in what seems to be the big Vauxhall-Waterloo crackdown - the standard letter I've seen others post arrived today. Let me be clear: I'm no apologist and I'm furious at his stupidity - I also know this is his issue and he knows he effed up, so I'm just trying to be a supportive parent of someone whose ADHD impacts his decision-making and risk-taking because I don't want him to end up with a criminal conviction due to him being a fare-dodging idiot over not wanting to pay the extra £1.95 rail fare (he has a 16-25 railcard).

He's now admitted he regularly did this over the last year when he travelled home from East London to SW London. Great. We've spent much of today reading through the posts on here and would welcome advice on this wording so that he doesn't make things worse by not being upfront that this wasn't the first time he did it. My understanding is that he should flag this since they are likely to run his travel history - how do they do this? He uses Trainline, not his bank card - because he gets a discount - do they have the right to access that?

Again I want to say: I'm not a parent who wants my poor special precious to not face financial consequences or thinks he should get away with this - I am hoping this scares him straight and he's heard from me repeatedly that it is neither big nor clever to try to defraud the rail companies and their horde of revenue collectors. What I hope he can do with his letter is mitigate the risk of ending up in court if they do an investigation of his travel history and find that he's done this many times (again for only £1.95 a journey - IDIOT!!!!)

So I would be grateful for anyone with more knowledge or experience of this forum and situation to read and say if this text is the right wording, or can anyone suggest genuine improvements to help his chances of ONLY having to empty his bank account and not end up with a criminal conviction, please?

Thank you in advance...

Dear Ms Gray,

Subject: Letter of Response – Case Reference XXX

I am writing in response to your letter dated x regarding the incident on x at London Waterloo station, where I failed to produce a valid ticket for my entire journey.

I wish to start by offering my unreserved apologies for my actions. I admit that I boarded the train at Worcester Park but only purchased a ticket from Vauxhall to London Waterloo using my 16-25 Railcard. I fully accept that this was completely wrong, and I take full accountability for short-faring and failing to pay the correct fare for my journey.

I want to be completely honest and acknowledge that I have not always purchased correct tickets. I now fully understand how serious this matter is, as well as the impact fare evasion has on the railway network. I can assure you that since the interaction, I have ensured I purchased a valid ticket for my entire journey before boarding any train.

I am very anxious to resolve this matter honestly, responsibly, and comprehensively. I would be incredibly grateful if you would allow me to settle this matter out of court. I am fully prepared to pay any outstanding fares for my past journeys from Worcester Park or Malden Manor, alongside any administrative and investigation costs South Western Railway has incurred.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and for considering my request for an out-of-court settlement. I truly am sorry.

 

[WesternLancer]

Posting this on behalf of my 19 yr old who has been caught for short-fareing (is that a word) at the end of August in what seems to be the big Vauxhall-Waterloo crackdown - the standard letter I've seen others post arrived today. Let me be clear: I'm no apologist and I'm furious at his stupidity - I also know this is his issue and he knows he effed up, so I'm just trying to be a supportive parent of someone whose ADHD impacts his decision-making and risk-taking because I don't want him to end up with a criminal conviction due to him being a fare-dodging idiot over not wanting to pay the extra £1.95 rail fare (he has a 16-25 railcard).

He's now admitted he regularly did this over the last year when he travelled home from East London to SW London. Great. We've spent much of today reading through the posts on here and would welcome advice on this wording so that he doesn't make things worse by not being upfront that this wasn't the first time he did it. My understanding is that he should flag this since they are likely to run his travel history - how do they do this? He uses Trainline, not his bank card - because he gets a discount - do they have the right to access that?

Again I want to say: I'm not a parent who wants my poor special precious to not face financial consequences or thinks he should get away with this - I am hoping this scares him straight and he's heard from me repeatedly that it is neither big nor clever to try to defraud the rail companies and their horde of revenue collectors. What I hope he can do with his letter is mitigate the risk of ending up in court if they do an investigation of his travel history and find that he's done this many times (again for only £1.95 a journey - IDIOT!!!!)

So I would be grateful for anyone with more knowledge or experience of this forum and situation to read and say if this text is the right wording, or can anyone suggest genuine improvements to help his chances of ONLY having to empty his bank account and not end up with a criminal conviction, please?

Thank you in advance...

Dear Ms Gray,

Subject: Letter of Response – Case Reference XXX

I am writing in response to your letter dated x regarding the incident on x at London Waterloo station, where I failed to produce a valid ticket for my entire journey.

I wish to start by offering my unreserved apologies for my actions. I admit that I boarded the train at Worcester Park but only purchased a ticket from Vauxhall to London Waterloo using my 16-25 Railcard. I fully accept that this was completely wrong, and I take full accountability for short-faring and failing to pay the correct fare for my journey.

I want to be completely honest and acknowledge that I have not always purchased correct tickets. I now fully understand how serious this matter is, as well as the impact fare evasion has on the railway network. I can assure you that since the interaction, I have ensured I purchased a valid ticket for my entire journey before boarding any train.

I am very anxious to resolve this matter honestly, responsibly, and comprehensively. I would be incredibly grateful if you would allow me to settle this matter out of court. I am fully prepared to pay any outstanding fares for my past journeys from Worcester Park or Malden Manor, alongside any administrative and investigation costs South Western Railway has incurred.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and for considering my request for an out-of-court settlement. I truly am sorry.

Welcome.
Before going into detail one key question
Was he actually stopped and questioned by rail staff on an occasion when he was doing this ?
Ie caught red handed?

From your draft response I suspect he was but it’s important to know.

 

[Trainman40083]

Does the letter from SWR say about other occasions of short tickets, or are you making it easier for the operator? Sadly, many people get caught on the Vauxhall to Waterloo thing. SWR just sets the ticket machines to reject them.

 

[ohmydays98]

Welcome.
Before going into detail one key question
Was he actually stopped and questioned by rail staff on an occasion when he was doing this ?
Ie caught red handed?

From your draft response I suspect he was but it’s important to know.

Yes, he and his gf were stopped at Waterloo.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 55 minutes ago ==

Does the letter from SWR say about other occasions of short tickets, or are you making it easier for the operator? Sadly, many people get caught on the Vauxhall to Waterloo thing. SWR just sets the ticket machines to reject them.

No it just says the exact same as other letters I have seen shared on here, the “…Did travel on a Railway without having previously paid the fare with intent to avoid payment thereof” and then goes on to say “ subsequently the matter has been reported to this offer for further investigation. All the evidence available is being considered as to whether legal proceedings are appropriate.” and inviting him to respond in writing or via email within 21 days of the date of the letterand then the back of the letter ask for his name email address date of birth mobile and signature.

I asked him directly if he had done it before, which I suspected he had, and he admitted he had. We just don’t know whether it is better for him to be upfront and say “yeah this isn’t the first time I’ve done it“ or wait to see if they investigate and then (as I understand it) send him a list of journeys that they are investigating. My concern is if he isn’t forthcoming and they find like 15 journeys then they don’t let him settle out of court. I don’t know what their appetite is to make examples of 19-year-olds, I suspect it costs them more to do court then to just accept a chunk of money?

Either way, he knows he’s absolutely screwed up and we just want to understand whether it’s better for him to show that proactively or wait for them to do their “investigation”. Any advice appreciated.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Hello @ohmydays98 - can your son confirm (to us on thread):

1) when he was stopped, what paperwork was he given? If he was given anything, it will likely have a reference ID and details of why he was stopped. He needs to keep it.

2) was your son issued with a Penalty Fare Notice? Cir were his Trainline account details and personal details taken, for investigation of his other ticketing behaviour? From your opening post, I presume the latter.

3) Using your son's Trainline (any others?) digital ticket history, how many tickets has he short-fared? This potentially guides you (and the train company) on whether he will be offered an out-of-court settlement, or if the train company will progress straight to prosecution. My guess is the former.

 

[Gloster]

There is a fine line to be drawn when replying to the letter. He should not make any untrue statements, but he need not volunteer information if they have not asked for it.

He should not say something like ‘I have never done this before’, because they may well know that he has and in that situation his prospects of an out of court settlement will plummet. At the same time, if they only ask him about this one instance, he need not mention others. Do read the letter carefully when it arrives.

 

[ohmydays98]

There is a fine line to be drawn when replying to the letter. He should not make any untrue statements, but he need not volunteer information if they have not asked for it.

He should not say something like ‘I have never done this before’, because they may well know that he has and in that situation his prospects of an out of court settlement will plummet. At the same time, if they only ask him about this one instance, he need not mention others. Do read the letter carefully when it arrives.

Thanks. The letter arrived and only mentions this incident.