Thameslink Prosecution Notice

[omelaspatriot]

Hi all, really glad to have found this forum with great advice on it, and looking for some myself.

I got caught on my regular commuter train without a ticket, as I would often run for the train and then buy one on Trainline when I was onboard. Needless to say, this wasn't a good idea and I got caught without a ticket.

The inspector was nice and said he wouldn't fine me but take my details and I would get a letter to respond to explaining things. Thameslink would maybe give me a fine after that but might be kind and decide not to (I was daft to believe this in retrospect). I included in that response letter a copy of all the receipts from the week before and after I got caught showing full payment for my commuter trains to show it was not deliberate evasion.

But now I got a "Single Justice Prosecution Notice"!!!!! It's a magistrate courts summons where I have to plead guilty (and avoid court) or not guilty, under Byelaw 18(1) of the Railway Bylaws 2005. I'm really worried as it says I will get a criminal record, and I don't fancy my chances in court. I'm a junior doctor and a criminal record would be disastrous and might get me fired or stop me from getting jobs in the future. I'm trying to get through to the prosecution office on the number on the letter I was sent, but am unable to get through.

Has anyone else been in this situation and have advice? Any advice on how to contact them? I just want to pay a normal fine and have it done with.

Thanks for any and all advice
David

 

[WesternLancer]

Hi all, really glad to have found this forum with great advice on it, and looking for some myself.

I got caught on my regular commuter train without a ticket, as I would often run for the train and then buy one on Trainline when I was onboard. Needless to say, this wasn't a good idea and I got caught without a ticket.

The inspector was nice and said he wouldn't fine me but take my details and I would get a letter to respond to explaining things. Thameslink would maybe give me a fine after that but might be kind and decide not to (I was daft to believe this in retrospect). I included in that response letter a copy of all the receipts from the week before and after I got caught showing full payment for my commuter trains to show it was not deliberate evasion.

But now I got a "Single Justice Prosecution Notice"!!!!! It's a magistrate courts summons where I have to plead guilty (and avoid court) or not guilty, under Byelaw 18(1) of the Railway Bylaws 2005. I'm really worried as it says I will get a criminal record, and I don't fancy my chances in court. I'm a junior doctor and a criminal record would be disastrous and might get me fired or stop me from getting jobs in the future. I'm trying to get through to the prosecution office on the number on the letter I was sent, but am unable to get through.

Has anyone else been in this situation and have advice? Any advice on how to contact them? I just want to pay a normal fine and have it done with.

Thanks for any and all advice
David

There are several similar cases on here like this - Thameslink have reputation for often settling out of court. I would not advise wasting time trying to phone them though* - you will not get through to a decision maker IMHO. You need to write again asking if they would consider offering you an out of court settlement as you had no intention of not paying your fares.
See Hadders advice on what to say on various threads you can easily look up.

Be prepared to write 2 or 3 times to request this and apologise etc.

You probably know full well by now that stepping on a train without a ticket before you board is a criminal offence (ie buying en route on line via website after boarding).

If you are too busy due to your job etc you may want to consider instructing a solicitor to act on your behalf over this to aim for a settlement if you are happy to pay their fees of course.

My hunch is you have a good chance of getting a settlement even if your first request has failed.

*

I'm trying to get through to the prosecution office on the number on the letter I was sent, but am unable to get through.

almost certainly easier to get through on the phone to a Doctor...

 

[omelaspatriot]

There are several similar cases on here like this - Thameslink have reputation for often settling out of court. I would not advise wasting time trying to phone them though* - you will not get through to a decision maker IMHO. You need to write again asking if they would consider offering you an out of court settlement as you had no intention of not paying your fares.
See Hadders advice on what to say on various threads you can easily look up.

Be prepared to write 2 or 3 times to request this and apologise etc.

You probably know full well by now that stepping on a train without a ticket before you board is a criminal offence (ie buying en route on line via website after boarding).

If you are too busy due to your job etc you may want to consider instructing a solicitor to act on your behalf over this to aim for a settlement if you are happy to pay their fees of course.

My hunch is you have a good chance of getting a settlement even if your first request has failed.

*


almost certainly easier to get through on the phone to a Doctor...

Thanks for your quick reply, this advice is really helpful and am look through Hadders' post history.

When you say write the them, I have been given an email address for the department by their twitter team, does anyone have any success from using that?

 

[Haywain]

almost certainly easier to get through on the phone to a Doctor

I'd seriously doubt that.

 

[30907]

There are several similar cases on here like this - Thameslink have reputation for often settling out of court. I would not advise wasting time trying to phone them though* - you will not get through to a decision maker IMHO. You need to write again asking if they would consider offering you an out of court settlement as you had no intention of not paying your fares.
See Hadders advice on what to say on various threads you can easily look up.

Be prepared to write 2 or 3 times to request this and apologise etc.

You probably know full well by now that stepping on a train without a ticket before you board is a criminal offence (ie buying en route on line via website after boarding).

If you are too busy due to your job etc you may want to consider instructing a solicitor to act on your behalf over this to aim for a settlement if you are happy to pay their fees of course.

My hunch is you have a good chance of getting a settlement even if your first request has failed.

Just to add that a Byelaw offence is "non-recordable" and spent within a year. It may nevertheless appear on your next Enhanced DBS but frankly is unlikely to affect your career, especially if this is the only occasion being referenced* - I imagine the BMA will have some guidance as to what might affect your fitness to practise.

*they may have checked your ticket buying history to see if any more serious offending shows up.

 

[AlterEgo]

Hi all, really glad to have found this forum with great advice on it, and looking for some myself.

I got caught on my regular commuter train without a ticket, as I would often run for the train and then buy one on Trainline when I was onboard. Needless to say, this wasn't a good idea and I got caught without a ticket.

The inspector was nice and said he wouldn't fine me but take my details and I would get a letter to respond to explaining things. Thameslink would maybe give me a fine after that but might be kind and decide not to (I was daft to believe this in retrospect). I included in that response letter a copy of all the receipts from the week before and after I got caught showing full payment for my commuter trains to show it was not deliberate evasion.

The problem with being caught without a ticket and buying on board is that people do it all the time - whenever they see a barrier, or a guard or a revenue protection agent. Buying on the app on board doesn’t show honest intent any more than hiding things up your jumper at the supermarket and paying for them on the occasions you see you can’t leave the store unchallenged.

But now I got a "Single Justice Prosecution Notice"!!!!!

Have you had any correspondence prior to this? Usually train companies write to you before this stage and ask for your side of the story.

Has anyone else been in this situation and have advice? Any advice on how to contact them? I just want to pay a normal fine and have it done with.

You will not be able to pay a Penalty Fare at this stage. What may be offered is a settlement out of court for any fare/s outstanding plus maybe £100 on top for the company’s costs.

 

[swt_passenger]

Have you had any correspondence prior to this? Usually train companies write to you before this stage and ask for your side of the story.

Yes, it’s mentioned in the third paragraph of the first post. “I included in that response letter…”

 

[AlterEgo]

Yes, it’s mentioned in the third paragraph of the first post. “I included in that response letter…”

Well spotted. D- for my reading comprehension.

 

[WesternLancer]

Thanks for your quick reply, this advice is really helpful and am look through Hadders' post history.

When you say write the them, I have been given an email address for the department by their twitter team, does anyone have any success from using that?

Well, try that e-mail address, and also maybe print what you send by e-mail off and post that too. Potentially using signed for post. There is evidence on threads here of settlements being made after follow up letters, no idea personally on the success rate of the e-mail address you have been given tho, so sorry I can't advise on that.

 

[Teddytantan1]

Thanks for your quick reply, this advice is really helpful and am look through Hadders' post history.

When you say write the them, I have been given an email address for the department by their twitter team, does anyone have any success from using that?

Any updates?