Just to clarify. I now appreciate the moral and practical implications of my behaviour. Unfortunately when you are pressed by life you don’t always think straight. And that was what happened to me. I am making up for my mum’s lost freedom pass. I am planning to do volunteering with the elderly to make up (to an extent) for what I have done. Incidentally, I am volunteering already although with kids. I am trying to do my bit to clear my moral conscience for what I have done. Independently from that, I would like to minimise the damage to me coming from this very action of mine. If I get a record on my CBR, I probably would not be even able to continue my volunteering with children, not to mention about my plan to start volunteering with the elderly. At the same time I don’t think I have been treated fairly. I know that this seems a big statement considering what I have done. My point is that the inspector didn’t even read what he wrote in my report and didn’t even ask me if I wanted to sign it. This is odd. I currently don’t know what they have in my report. I thought they were supposed to inform the person being accused of what the charge is. Thanks, Clara

Thanks to everyone. I have read teh template letter from Old-CodJa which i am pasting below. this refers to someone using her dad's season ticket. Dear Sirs, Your Reference: XXXXX I write regarding the letter that I have received from you and concerning the occasion on when I was reported for travelling on your train service from to without a valid rail ticket. I wish to offer my unreserved apology for my actions in the hope that you will allow this matter to be resolved without court action and thereby allowing me to protect my good name. I have never been in trouble with the law in the past and I am very sorry that my misunderstanding has lead to this situation now. I genuinely thought that as the fare was paid and the ticket was not being used by the regular user, that I could use it on this occasion. I am now aware that is not the case and apologise for my niaevity in this matter, it really was a complete misunderstanding. I am extremely sorry for what may appear to you to have been an attempt to avoid my liability, but I must stress that this was not intentional. I hope that you will recognise that I wish to apologise to the member of staff concerned and to the rail company for the extra administration work that my actions have caused. I sincerely hope that you will accept my offer to pay the full fare that is due and all of the reasonable costs that have been incurred by the rail company in the hope that you will allow me to put this matter behind me. I am now fully aware of the rules relating to rail season tickets and can assure you that I will ensure that I always hold a valid rail ticket of my own on any future journeys. Yours etc. That is a very useful template for which I need to thank Old-CodJa but I am a bit puzzled by what seems to me a fabricated excuse (underlined in the text above). Do you adviceme to admit that what I have done was wrong and not excusable, or should I try to come up with soem sort of plausible excuse? Thanks again

Hi everyone, The reason for doing what I did was that I am struggling with money and I find it very humiliating to ask my husband for money. I recently delivered a baby, tried to change career, done some training and tried my luck as self-employed with the outcome that we would not pay the bills without my husband's salary. I am writing all this to convey that I feel bad about what I have done. On the practical issue: I am reading the other posters and would like to thank everyone taking the time to reply mine. My situation is as follows: I’ve been using mum's freedom pass on the underground and a PAYG on the overground. Done it for approx a month. got caught in first week of December. Never done since then. The LU inspector retained my mum’s pass and got a printout of the PAYG I was using on the overground (my journeys normally comprise travelling both an overground and underground). As it happens I trained as therapist and I am very concerned that this may go down on my CRB. This is additional to the fact that I have acted in a way which is morally and legally wrong, for which I feel bad about it. I didn’t sign the report as the inspector made me feel really bad and kind of abused me. I was called a piece of trash, told that I should be ashamed of myself and that I don’t deserve being a therapist and that he was not surprised I don’t have enough clients to pay the bills. The PAYG don’t have my name on it. They would need to have CCTV footage to prove it was me using my mum’s freedom pass in the other instances, and probably even in the instance I was caught they would need CCTV as I didn’t sign the report. I was caught in one of the big stations in London. I have today received a letter from LU. This is exactly the same letter sent to rosa2009. --------------------------- On (day) at (time) an incident took place at x tube station whereby you were spoken to by a member of London Underground staff regarding your train journey and the associated fare. The facts of this incident are now being considered and I must advise you that legal proceedings may be initiated against you regarding this matter in accordance with the London Underground prosecution policy. If you have any comments to make regarding this incident please write them on the reverse side of this letter and complete the information panel below, returning the whole letter in the freepost envelope provided which does not require a stamp, within 10 days. You do not have to reply to this letter but it may harm your defence if you do not mention something which you may later rely on in court. Anything that you do provide in writing may be used in evidence. Failure to respond to this letter may result in the matter being progressed by the London Underground Prosecutions Department without further notification." There is a box at the bottom of the letter where they ask to complete the following info: Surname, Forename, Date of birth, Address, Post Code, Telephone number, Occupation, Signature and Date. --------------------------- My preferred course of action is to settle out of court, avoid any CRB, pay my fair share, learn a lesson and move on. That would help me feel better about myself. I spoke to my husband about this and my behaviour, and that was helpful in getting him to understand how I feel about not being able to have an income. My preferred course of action would imply replying the letter, admitting my fault and ask to settle. My fear is that they may not have enough evidence against me because of the fact I didn’t sign the report and because there is no name on the PAYG I was using. If I reply the letter they sent, they will get the evidence they need and in case they are not co-operative I could end up in court and get a record in CRB. Finally in terms of questions I have: Do you think it is likely they don’t have enough evidence against me? Do you think they would offer me the option to pay an X amount of money without impacting my CRB? What do you advise me to do. Many thanks, Clara