issue regarding flexi season ticket from Bedford to London Thameslink

[Titfield]

It relates to the member of staff who took your details etc. They are acknowledging they could be prosecuted if they make a false statement.

 

[island]

It is standard wording on this type of document.

 

[AlterEgo]

Also, does anyone know what the purpose of this statement is. It is on the Witness Statement. It reads that the Fraud Officer can be prosecuted, or is it supposed to relate to me as the passenger? I am not sure if it is just poorly worded? (Serious question).

The investigator signs the document to say that what they are recording is true and they understand the consequences of it not being true. This is entirely standard.

 

[Not_guilty]

Thanks to everyone for their responses so far.

I have still not heard anything from the prosecutions department. Thameslink Customer Services previously told me that a letter would be received in 14 days, but it has now been longer than this.

Should I continue to wait, or should I contact them myself? If I contact them should I provide all of the relevant information or just enquire when I will be receiving my letter?

What do members recommend?

 

[Titfield]

Thanks to everyone for their responses so far.

I have still not heard anything from the prosecutions department. Thameslink Customer Services previously told me that a letter would be received in 14 days, but it has now been longer than this.

Should I continue to wait, or should I contact them myself? If I contact them should I provide all of the relevant information or just enquire when I will be receiving my letter?

What do members recommend?

Wait for them to contact you. Any enquiry you make may not be correctly allocated to your case.

 

[Not_guilty]

Still no news from the prosecutions department. Customer Services are now say that it can take up to 6 months, despite them telling me to contact them again if I hadn't heard anything within 14 days. Does the 6 month timeframe sound correct?

 

[MotCO]

The rail companies have up to 6 months to bring a case to Court (for most offences). If they have not contacted you, or if you have not heard from a Court within 7 months (to allow for post and Court processes), then they have forgotten about you. (assuming they have the correct contact details fif you.)

 

[Not_guilty]

Also, I was reading the following article today:

Fare-dodging: the inside story on the rules on rail tickets and how they are enforced

Chief magistrate insists 74,000 fines for alleged fare-dodging on the railway should be quashed – but efforts continue to catch passengers without valid tickets

www.independent.co.uk

The article contains two sections with the following headings.

What is the penalty for travelling without a ticket – or the wrong sort of ticket?​

How do they decide which penalty to apply?​

These sections suggest that reporting someone for prosecution is the most serious of the options available to a Railway Staff, with a Penalty Fare being less serious.

Can anyone advise if this article is correct? If so, is this what I am going to receive?

Given the situation, I would have felt hard done by had a Penalty Fare been issued, but having read the article I am even more concerned that the member of staff selected the most severe of the three options available to him.

 

[AlterEgo]

You have been reported for prosecution. You will receive a letter in due course asking for your side of the story, which will accompany the witness statement given at the time of the stop.

 

[Not_guilty]

The rail companies have up to 6 months to bring a case to Court (for most offences). If they have not contacted you, or if you have not heard from a Court within 7 months (to allow for post and Court processes), then they have forgotten about you. (assuming they have the correct contact details fif you.)

Thank you MotCo.

I definitely gave them all of my correct details. The 6 or 7 months is still a way off. If I don't hear from them within 7 months, would you advise me to chase it up or can I assume that they have dropped the case?

I am concerned that there is a small possibility that my letter could get lost in the post, which could make me look like a non-responder and make matters worse.

You have been reported for prosecution. You will receive a letter in due course asking for your side of the story, which will accompany the witness statement given at the time of the stop.

Thank you AlterEgo.

 

[WesternLancer]

See this case for an idea of a timeline https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/prosecution-from-govia-thameslink.282995/

Stopped 11 March, got letter as per recent post in last day or so.

I expect not enough time has elapsed yet since you were stopped unless I’ve miscalculated.

See that timescale and add a week for Easter before being concerned about not hearing from them yet.

 

[Not_guilty]

See this case for an idea of a timeline https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/prosecution-from-govia-thameslink.282995/

Stopped 11 March, got letter as per recent post in last day or so.

I sunny enough time has elapsed since you were stopped unless I’ve miscalculated.

Thanks. Yes, my Witness Statement was issued on 17 March, so if the case you've highlighted is anything to go by then I may be receiving a letter in a week or so.

 

[WesternLancer]

Thanks. Yes, my Witness Statement was issued on 17 March, so if the case you've highlighted is anything to go by then I may be receiving a letter in a week or so.

Other cases are a helpful general guide I think.

 

[Hadders]

Having details taken doesn't necessarily mean you will get prosecuted. It generally means one of two things:

The train company want to investigate further to determine whether the level of alleged wrong doing was a one-off or a whether it is a more regular occurrance. For example someone travelling from Bedford to London is caught with Bedford to Flitwick and Kentish Town to St Pancras tickets. They are likely to have details taken so that their ticket purchasing accounts can be checked to see if this behaviour was a one-off or a regular occurrance.

More complex cases, such as yours, will require a more detailed follow-up so I'd say having details taken is the correct thing here.

As for timelines it generally takes several weeks. The teams dealing with this sort of thing a very small and have a lerge workload.

 

[Not_guilty]

Having details taken doesn't necessarily mean you will get prosecuted. It generally means one of two things:

The train company want to investigate further to determine whether the level of alleged wrong doing was a one-off or a whether it is a more regular occurrance. For example someone travelling from Bedford to London is caught with Bedford to Flitwick and Kentish Town to St Pancras tickets. They are likely to have details taken so that their ticket purchasing accounts can be checked to see if this behaviour was a one-off or a regular occurrance.

More complex cases, such as yours, will require a more detailed follow-up so I'd say having details taken is the correct thing here.

As for timelines it generally takes several weeks. The teams dealing with this sort of thing a very small and have a lerge workload.

Ok, that's good to know, thanks.

I have no concerns about being investigated as I have never cheated the system.

I am still really surprised that the staff member reported me given that I was able to show him and evidence precisely what had happened. It feels completely unnecessary, but having read through a number of threads I now have a better understanding of the "system" that exists. Keeping my fingers crossed for a good outcome at the end of the process.

I have now received the CCTV that I requested from Thameslink.

This shows that:
1) I approached the staff at the barrier in Bedford station with my mobile phone in one hand and smartcard in the other.

2) I then handed my mobile and smartcard to person 1, who tried scanning the smartcard against my mobile phone.

3) Person 1 then handed over the smartcard to person 2, who scanned the smartcard against the device that she was holding.

4) The barrier was then opened and person 1 handed my mobile and smartcard back to me.

Do members think this strengthens my position at all? I would happy to share the footage privately if anyone would like to see it.

 

[Hadders]

The CCTV won't do any harm to your case. Keep it safe as you might want to refer to it if you need to send another response to GTR.