Due to suffering horrible social anxiety, I've come back to this forum for some advice on what to do. I received a Court summons in the post for 'failing' to pay off an Unpaid fare notice of £8.90 for a journey I made 6 months ago. Contrary to their records, I paid this off on the evening I received it, to a member of staff at the the station I was returning home from. Here's a summary of what happened:- I took a train to see a friend from an unstaffed station with no ticket machine, one that I had used regularly and was used to paying for my ticket to the conductor. On this date, my card decided it was going to pull a silly and my transaction was declined twice. I took the little blue notice stating I'd been unable to pay happily, understanding that I, from what I was told the being the best thing to do was to go to a ticket office as soon as possible to pay it off, would do such and pay for my transportation that way as I had no other means to pay on the train. When I arrived at my destination I decided I would make the most of the short time I had to spend with my friend, and hopefully pay off the notice at the station before I caught my train home. When it was time to head home, I visited the ticket office from the station I was departing from and the member of rail staff took away my Unpaid Fare Notice. I was charged a return ticket to my card to and from the destination of the journey I received the notice for, and issued me with the usual OUT and RTN rail tickets. Thinking this was all over, I didn't have the notice and I had paid for my ticket, I was shocked to have received two warnings in the post stating I hadn't paid, the first asking for the ticket price + £x, as to which I ignored as I believed my notice might not have been processed yet. The second I received with a surprisingly larger fine + the ticket price, I replied to with a letter stating the exact account of the events that had happened, along with times and photocopies of the tickets that I have in front of me now. I heard no reply from them, presuming this was sorted I was even more surprised to receive this in the post, a summons to court over a £8.90 train ticket I apparently have not paid. Soon as I got this, I had a friend ring the rail company and they said that the time on my ticket was after when I was issued the notice and it was invalid.. even thought she'd explained that I'd handed the fine to the ticket office and was given this in return. He then proceeded to tell me that so sort it would cost me the £100 fine as demanded in the 2nd letter. I believe I'm completely innocent, I paid off the price of my ticket to the rail company, and it seems the only way is going to court and pleading not guilty. I can't for the life of me afford the £100 fine. Now what I've come to ask is what sort of odds do I stand, wining this case? I have the tickets I was issued, a bank statement with the transaction details for the tickets on my card. My next move will be to request the name off staff working at the time I got my ticket, and perhaps some cctv footage of myself taking in the notice, and handing it to the staff. As of now I'm bricking it, knowing I'll end up suffering some sort of panic attack standing up in court, but I refuse to be bullied by Northern Rail into paying £108.90 they're demanding.. . or as the summons says; for the value of the £8.90 train ticket. WHICH I PAID! I'd appreciate any advice into what I should do next. If I end up in court I will be representing myself. Will the evidence I have be enough? What do I do now? Should I write out the details again in a letter to the court with my plee for not guilty? (excuse my panicing). How can I get out of this in good standing? Thank you very much if you read all this!

Hi all. I have read a few posts on here and thought I would await my letter before posting, but now would look for a little advice if it is possible. The facts are: I was travelling to work from my local station (Whiston) to Liverpool Lime St and was running late, knowing that I could always get a ticket at the other end. There was no problem with this, however I intended on my return journey from Lime St to get off at Wavetree and so just got a return from Wavetree. This was extremely stupid and I don't need telling I was in the wrong, I feel awful about it. Although it's no excuse for my stupidness, I never get the train back to Wavetree and I was in fact using all different trains due to my mum being in hospital - I was going to Wavetree to get a lift to the hospital. It's no excuse at all and im not looking for sympathy but trying to express how bad I feel. Im not one to make excuses but at the age of 22 finding out my mum had a brain tumour my mind wasnt exactly focussed on stations - stupid I know. Anyway, i got stopped after I had purchased my ticket, panicked and gave an incorrect name (but the right address) again -stupid!!!! I told him pretty much straight away what my right name was, but now the letter has come addressed to the original name I gave and not my real name. I really don't want this to go to court - along with the stress of trying to care for my mum, I dont want a criminal record - it would definitely destroy my legal career (I know I should have a better brain than this). I don't know what difference it makes but I have never been in trouble at all and I have now also purchased an annual pass for nothern rail so i dont risk this happening again. Has anyone got any advice please? I do feel terrible and will definitely not be doing anything like this again. I appreciate my stupidity and will be extremely grateful for any advice what so ever. Thank you.

Hi, The other day I was caught without a ticket once I had left the train, I was cautioned and had a statement taken. If I would have stopped to get a ticket before boarding I would have missed it so thought I would get one from the conductor, who never reached me. I know that this shouldnt be done and that you should purchase from stations when available and I am not disputing the fact that Northern have a case against me. I have not yet received a letter but when I do does it always end up in court or can you settle out of court?