A barrister who dodged train fares for two years has been brought to justice

[dx100uk]

A barrister who dodged train fares for two years has been brought to justice

 

 

Dr Peter Barnett, 44, was given a 16-week suspended sentence after swindling a rail company out of £5,892.

Australian-born Dr Barnett, who won a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University, had been accused of avoiding £19,689.

But his lawyer Angus Bunyan argued successfully that the figure – based on the full single fare for each dodged journey – was too high.

 

 

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/609167/Barrister-fare-dodger-two-years-sentenced-court

 

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/569758/Lawyer-prison-rail-fare?_ga=1.49340771.450238813.1443865536

Edited October 3, 2015 by citizenB

[citizenB]

This was another one not so long ago...

 

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/547118/Jonathan-Burrows-dodged-rail-fares-banned-from-financial-industry?_ga=1.242262983.450238813.1443865536

 

Jonathon Burrows @ £43,000.00 - Banned from working within the Financial Industry.

 

He came to an out of court settlement and therefore escaped a prison sentence.

[unclebulgaria67]

It happens all the time at stations without barrier controls. The trains are so busy, that it is not possible to check tickets. Not sure how it is possible to dodge fares when there are barriers. I know some commuting into London were managing to get to stations closer to London and then using Oyster cards, so the journey was less expensive, but not sure how that would work for too long without being caught.

 

I don't condone a criminal offence, but perhaps it would be good for the economy if fares were heavily subsidised. Then the fares would not stop people on average wages from commuting into London and other major cities. Expensive fares must cause more of an economic problem, than the cost of subsidy. If people were not having to spend many thousands on commuting, they would be spending it in the economy and you would gain more revenues.

[obiter dictum]

The UK has the highest cost for public transport in Europe.

 

Boris is directly responsible for the london hikes but the rest of the UK??

 

Why?

[unclebulgaria67]

Expensive system to run, due to number of passengers, frequency of services required, more maintenance required as a result etc.

 

It would cost billions to subsidise fares, but i think the government would get their money back and possibly increase GDP earnings. You need people using earnings to support the economy by spending it and i don't think the amount spent on commuting can be healthy. If you earn say £30k a year, but spend say £8k in commuting costs, that is a big chunk of take home pay, which would not leave much to cover other living costs.

[caro]

In malta it costs something like 7 euros for a weeks travel on any bus. Obviously a small island like that won't have the same issues of different areas, operators etc,but my point is the bus service is affordable and well used.

[unclebulgaria67]

In Spain public transport is subsidised. So even those on low wages can afford to travel from the towns into the cities to work. If they did not subsidise, businesses in the cities would struggle. Also it means that people will travel more often for leisure purposes and it helps reduce traffic levels.

[obiter dictum]

The Government will not subsidise the Price of tickets on out transport system, Yet they will subsidise the operators and let them charge above inflation hikes on the end consumer

 

Go figure??

 

If our transport costs were relative to income then the majority of people would not try and screw the system and inturn prosecuted