I made a very stupid mistake and intentionally attempted to dodge a train fare from Twyford to Bristol Temple Meads on Sunday 4th June. I have never done anything of this nature before and will be certain not to do so again. I was caught and am now asking what I should expect to happen.
I quickly caught a train from Twyford (to which I had travelled from Manchester the previous day) on the morning of Sunday 4th June, heading to Bristol. This was an unplanned journey and I intended to buy my ticket on board the train. I took the train from Twyford to Reading; I did not buy a ticket onboard as there was no inspector. I changed at Reading and took the train to Bristol Temple Meads; again no inspector came through so I had no ticket by the time I reached Bristol.
Once I alighted from the train at Bristol I approached the ticket inspectors, and stupidly tried to avoid the full £28 train fare by asking for a ticket from Bath. The ticket inspector immediately caught on to me and asked why I had not bought a ticket at Bath. I lied and told him the turnstiles had been open. He then asked did I live in Bath, I said no and I had travelled there the previous day. He asked did I stay in a hotel, I again lied and said I had stayed with friends. He then asked if I could provide an address for them; at this point I realized it was no use lying and owned up, admitting I was trying to dodge the full fare and would accept whatever penalty was necessary.
He proceeded to ask me a series of questions, noting my responses and the times at which the interview begun and ended. I provided my bank card as ID, I had a letter in my bag with my full address on which I showed him, and gave him my date of birth and phone number. I cooperated with him fully and admitted I had intentionally tried to avoid paying the full train fare. He made notes in his notebook then asked me to sign it and said I could add a statement of my own if I wished. I signed it and added a statement saying I admit I tried to dodge the full train fare, will accept the penalty and will not under any circumstances repeat the offence.
He then let me go and said I would receive a letter in the post in a matter of weeks which would state the amount I would have to pay as a fine, which he said could be around £50 on top of the intended train fare of £28. I asked him if the matter would go to court and he said this would only happen if I tried to appeal the fare; he implied I would just receive the letter and once I paid up, that would be the end of the matter.
I am posting here because I have read about similar cases online where people have received a court summons and a criminal conviction for similar offences and I want to know whether or not I should expect this to happen to me. The inspector was pretty clear that it would only proceed to court if I attempted to appeal (which I won't, I will gladly cooperate and pay the full penalty fee) but I am asking if this is likely to be the case or if it is possible I will receive a court summons in the post despite what he said.
I have never attempted to dodge a train fare before, nor do I have any criminal records; this was a stupid mistake made in a moment of rash hastiness. I cooperated fully once I had owned up and I will most certainly never attempt to do the same thing again.
Am I likely to be summoned to court and gain a criminal record, or are they likely to just charge me the penalty fee and leave it at that?
I quickly caught a train from Twyford (to which I had travelled from Manchester the previous day) on the morning of Sunday 4th June, heading to Bristol. This was an unplanned journey and I intended to buy my ticket on board the train. I took the train from Twyford to Reading; I did not buy a ticket onboard as there was no inspector. I changed at Reading and took the train to Bristol Temple Meads; again no inspector came through so I had no ticket by the time I reached Bristol.
Once I alighted from the train at Bristol I approached the ticket inspectors, and stupidly tried to avoid the full £28 train fare by asking for a ticket from Bath. The ticket inspector immediately caught on to me and asked why I had not bought a ticket at Bath. I lied and told him the turnstiles had been open. He then asked did I live in Bath, I said no and I had travelled there the previous day. He asked did I stay in a hotel, I again lied and said I had stayed with friends. He then asked if I could provide an address for them; at this point I realized it was no use lying and owned up, admitting I was trying to dodge the full fare and would accept whatever penalty was necessary.
He proceeded to ask me a series of questions, noting my responses and the times at which the interview begun and ended. I provided my bank card as ID, I had a letter in my bag with my full address on which I showed him, and gave him my date of birth and phone number. I cooperated with him fully and admitted I had intentionally tried to avoid paying the full train fare. He made notes in his notebook then asked me to sign it and said I could add a statement of my own if I wished. I signed it and added a statement saying I admit I tried to dodge the full train fare, will accept the penalty and will not under any circumstances repeat the offence.
He then let me go and said I would receive a letter in the post in a matter of weeks which would state the amount I would have to pay as a fine, which he said could be around £50 on top of the intended train fare of £28. I asked him if the matter would go to court and he said this would only happen if I tried to appeal the fare; he implied I would just receive the letter and once I paid up, that would be the end of the matter.
I am posting here because I have read about similar cases online where people have received a court summons and a criminal conviction for similar offences and I want to know whether or not I should expect this to happen to me. The inspector was pretty clear that it would only proceed to court if I attempted to appeal (which I won't, I will gladly cooperate and pay the full penalty fee) but I am asking if this is likely to be the case or if it is possible I will receive a court summons in the post despite what he said.
I have never attempted to dodge a train fare before, nor do I have any criminal records; this was a stupid mistake made in a moment of rash hastiness. I cooperated fully once I had owned up and I will most certainly never attempt to do the same thing again.
Am I likely to be summoned to court and gain a criminal record, or are they likely to just charge me the penalty fee and leave it at that?
