Update Spoke to the Prosecution Officer on Thursday, today my son received a letter from TFL informing him that they were dropping the case.

I'll really appreciate your reply, at least I have some idea what they may say to me when I try and speak to them, my main objective is stop him getting a criminal record. thanks again

ok thanks this is the point I'm trying to make, he had a valid card though and entitled to free bus travel. Is this really the same as someone avoiding payment? It was pointless trying to get a replacement as he was already waiting for his new card, it would've been likely the new card would have arrived before the replacement. As he uses 3 buses there and back = £12 a day, it wasnt like finding a couple of quid for a few days.

...and what teenage tell their mothers could be completely different from the truth. But I've seen the witness statement from the inspector and it only states what was said, there is nothing to indicate he was aggressive nor any other aggravating factors and it is his first offence. My son did say that the inspector varified his address on the phone - Oyster card records I assume? Sorry if I have misled you but this happened on a bus and he has been charged with 71B "Using a pass issued to another person". There is no denying he is guilty I just have an issue with the punishment

yeah thanks I realise that, in fact I can deal with it if he calls them and gives me permission. ( TFL's words) The advice I wanted was whether the lack of intent to avoid a fare would be a reasonable arguement given that he would be on TFL's records has having a valid card.

Thanks for replying just looking at the summons again and I see I made a mistake - he was 18 when it happened which was on the 29th Sept, he had turned 18 on the 20th. His 16+ Oyster card is valid for the school year he turns 18 in (he is in last year of 6th form). 30th of Sept is when the 16+ Oysters are renewed It happened in Barking and he travels there from Waltham Forest. The following day I phoned to check the progress of his new card and I was told that due to the postal strike he ( and other students) were allowed to use their out of date cards. So he was able to use his defective card until the new card came through some 4 weeks later.

I'm about to call the prosecutions office to plead my sons case. My son who was 17 at the time was caught using his friend's Oyster 16+ going to college in September. In his statement he explained that his own valid 16+ card was defective and that he was waiting for his new card to arrive. He usually carried his own card with him but due to sod's law the day he was approached by an inspector he didn't have it with him. As TFL have a record of him having a valid Oyster 16+ which entitled him to free travel I thought this would be enough to prove that his intention was NOT to avoid a fare and it was just a stupid error of judgement. I was expecting a deservedly warning/harsh words/fine, but they sent a summons instead. I am going to offer to pay out of court as I don't want to risk my son recieving a criminal record for such a petty misdemeanor. I just can't believe how petty this is especially for first offence. ooops found this thread through Google and just realised it's for the underground not tfl in general maybe a mod can move it?