I do have another confession to make and I was wondering if I should put it in there. But on two occasions I have made a similar absent minded mistake where I have been so wrapped up in my books but this time coming from preston to warrington where I have missed the stop (while having a valid ticket) and being over carried all the way to london euston. On these occasions the railsway has been so good to me by allowing me to go directly home without paying. Would they have this on record and is it worth bringing up. (My father says I should add it)

I may have missed this but what does TOC mean?

What could I do to improve upon this response: [My address] Prosecutions Office Block A Kentlink Offices Station Approach London Bridge Station LONDON SE1 9SP RE:REF: BRIGHTON/103093 07 November 2010 Dear Prosecutions Manager Firstly, let me begin by giving my most sincere and humble apologies for having not only failed to produce a valid ticket on my train journey on the 06/10/10 from Warrington Bank Quay to Preston. But for also wasting yours and the railway companies time any money. I made a major mistake one that will never occur again and I would beg for a moment of your time to allow me to explain the circumstances on the 06/10/10 that lead me to this great oversight. I’m a student living in Warrington who commutes using the Virgin Trains service to Preston almost every week day. I have been doing so for the past one and a half years. Sometimes but not often before this incident I would purchase a Weekly ticket for this train service. However due to the fact I have sporadic days off I will usually aim to purchase the cheaper off peak day return ticket. Unfortunately because of my regular train use and my accumulation of many train tickets I did not keep any of my tickets prior to 06/10/10. I have however sent with this letter a photocopy of all my tickets since that date. I know that on the two days prior to 06/10/10 as well as various dates after, there has been plain clothes revenue collection officers in Preston Station to whom I have been able to produce my tickets to. I hope these proves that as a regular railway user this is the first time I have made this sort of mistake and would never dream of stealing from the railways. On the 06/10/10 I simply forgot to buy a ticket, I know that this is not a real excuse but it is the truth. On that Wednesday I was very conscious of the possibility of being late for a lecture as well as nervous about an impending exam. The reason I was worried about being late is because the University I attend has a policy of docking marks in modules for anyone who has a less than 80% attendance for lectures and tutorials. Mind preoccupied I went straight onto the train and spent the entirety of the journey reading my books and lecture notes. I can’t even remember if the train manager walked past to check my ticket as I was so focused on revising. It was in this mindset that I left the train and hurried out of the station trying not to be late for the aforementioned letter when I was stopped by the revenue protection officer. When interviewed I answered every question truthfully and was physically shaking as I knew I was in the wrong and this mistake was completely due to my forgetfulness. When I was asked the question, did you intend to leave the station without a valid ticket? My answer was probably, but that when I return to the station to go back to Warrington I would have bought the correct ticket. If my memory serves correct I believe the officer for time sakes simply shortened this answer to “probably”. This answer out of context may make it seem I wished to deceive the railway which I assure you is not the case. As proven by the fact that immediately after the conclusion of the interview I went to buy a valid ticket for the journey. Still in a rush I then left the station for University. Upon my return to the station I realised that I had purchased the wrong ticket. You can see from the photocopied attached papers that I had purchased Preston to Warrington single at 11:02. I had once again made another mistake this time due to my haste and simply went to the ticket booth to pay the extra for the return ticket (also photocopied). I hope once again this illustrates that I’m aware of my mistake and was attempting to rectify it by ensuring I had a valid ticket. Ever since 06/10/10 I have been purchasing weekly tickets on a regular basis even when I have days off to ensure this incident never occurs again (see photocopies). The exception being the week beginning on the 01/11/10 due to the fact that I have been volunteering at a local nursing home. I was expecting to cover various shifts in the week and is the reason I did not travel on the 03/11/10 (hence no ticket). I cannot convey how apologetic I am and I am more than willing to pay for the ticket again, for a fine ticket or other administration costs. All I ask is for some leniency as a prosecution would have a massively detrimental effect to my future career. In a job market where 90 graduates will be fighting for a single job I can only ask that you take a proportional measure to offence I have committed. Once again I offer my most humble apology and I hope you will contact me so we sort out my mistake. Yours Sincerely

Thank you all once again for the help. @Old-CodJA, if you would be so kind as to help me by replying to my PM i would be much obliged.

Old-CodJa, I can't send you a PM due to not having a high enough post count so i'll reply here: "From what i remember they were virgin revenue protection officers and I answered all of the question truthfully. The info they are asking for now, they should already have as I rmember filling it in for them as my name is asian and well hard to spell so I offered to write it for him. So you think from your experiance that they are definitely going to push forward with this?"

Yes I did answer all of the fully, while i'm not going to lie the idea of faking a name an address did for a fleeting moment cross my mind doing so would have been a major case of fraud and well honesty is allways the best policy. I have replied to your PM. Thank you for all the advice so far by the way. I'll post up my letter for you guys to see before I send it off on monday.

Firstly, thank you for your reply i'm a little less worried now . Secondly here is a link to that document, hopefully you will be able to read it: Edit: Well it seems I can't add a link so I'll just write it out: Prosecutions Office Block A Kentlink Offices Station Approach London Bridge Station London SE1 9SP FAX: 020 7234 1121 [My Address] [Reference Number] 2nd November 2010 Dear Mr On Wednesday 06/10/10 a person giving the above name and address was questioned by a member of rail staff with regard to avoiding payment of thier fare whilst making a train journey from Warrington Bank Quay to Preston. The matter has been provisionally authorised for prosecution. Before I proceed further, I invite you to respond by completing in full the bottom section of this letter, making any comments about the incident on the reverse, and send it to the above address within seven days. Failure to respond will lead to the matter being processes without further notification. [Form asking for my details asking for:] Are you the person that travelled (Y/N) Surname Forename Date of Birth Address Telephone Number Occupation Signature Date] I got the letter yesterday so to get it their before the 7 day deadline which would eb the 9th. I'll have to send it first class on Monday. Will they give me some lee way and what should I write?

I have just received the above letter this Friday and I need your advice for when I respond. Firstly let me explain what happened and a little background on myself. I'm a student who commutes mostly 5 days a week from Warrington to Preston on this train (Virgin Train from Warrington Bank Quay to Preston). Sometimes but not often before this incident I would purchase a Weekly ticket but due to the fact I have sporadic days off I will usually buy as I go along aiming to get the cheaper off peak day return. On the day in question I had a lecture early in the morning to go to as well as an impending exam that day. Both count towards my degree with the former require I have >80% or they will begin to dock marks on percentage basis. I was totally focuses on cramming as much revision in and was aware I was going to be late if I did not hurry up. I am completely guilty as I should have bought a ticket on the train and would have done if the train conductor had walked past me but my head was in my books at the time. My second mistake was I did not buy a ticket at preston my mind was elsewhere and while at the time I had clearly forgot looking back i know there is not defence for what I did. I know when I would have returned to Preston station to go home i would have realised I hadn't bought the ticket and gone to the ticket booth to do so. As I was rushing out I was stopped and being scared of confrontation knowing I was guilty as sin I was (As I would have been anyway) completely honest with the revenue protection officer. I was interviewed under caution and in my haste to answer with complete truthfulness to the question. "Did you intend to leave the station with out paying for a valid ticket." I answered "As I forgot to buy one then probably, I'd have bought a return when I came back." On his notepad the officer wrote "Probably". My hands were shaking as he asked me to fill in my details but it look like everything was correct. Before I left I quickly bought a ticket then went on my way to university. Worried and well proverbially crapping my pants. As I returned to go home I realised that the ticket i had bought from the machines was a single, so I went to the ticket booth and paid extra for a return (i still have both tickets) Since then I have only been getting weekly tickets to ensure I don't forget by only having to remember to buy a ticket on the Monday. I cannot tell you how many times I am sorry for I have done and how much I know I am in the wrong. But it was a mistake. My main worry here is that this goes to court and I'm: Banned from using the Virgins Trains service meaning it's going to be very difficult for me to university at all That I'll get a criminal record, meaning that even with my degree in the current job market it will mean I never get a job That I'm going to be fined a massive amount of money which with my student debt as high as it is already is going to be very difficult to pay I'm worried, sorry, scared and don't know how to respond to the letter without making things worse or digging myself into a hole which I can't get out. Any help would be wonderful. Many thanks and you may now feel free to call me an idiot.