Greater Anglia - Issue with full fare for the journey

[RR0]

Hi,

 

I was caught by the revenue checking inspector/office, while travelling from Wickford to London Liverpool street for not paying full fare for my journey.

 

I have been regularly travelling from Ilford to Liverpool street by having an annual ticket.

Quite recently, I moved to Wickford and travelling once or twice in a week.

 

I was travelling part of the journey without valid ticket (for more than once) in order to save few pounds based on the wrong advice that I had received from a friend. Because of which, I am in trouble.

 

Ticket inspector/officer caught me and found out that I am doing this for about 5-6 times and said that he will send my case to court and said not to issue any fine, even though I requested him many times.

 

I fully regret for what I have done in the first place.

My finances were bit tight because of recent parents visit to UK, new mortgage and other additional expenses because of new place.

 

All these things played part of my thinking and made me to follow wrong friend's advice, which I should not do in the first place (and fully regret) in order to save few pounds in travelling.

 

Office was not able to match my name with the address that I had given through the system that they use for checks on the day, when he booked me in September.

 

After around 2 months, I got a letter from Greater Anglia to confirm, if I am the one, who has been caught.

 

I am having a family with 2 kids and they are fully dependant on my earnings and they will be in deep trouble, if any thing happens to me and with my employment. I don't want them to be in trouble for the mistake that I had done.

 

I am having sleepless night because of constant remembrance of the incident and feeling ashamed for what I did in the first place.

 

Please advice, what I have to do, now?

What kind of capital punishment that I am going to face?

And is there any way to get settlement out of court with Greater Anglia.

 

Your immediate help and advice is much appreciated.

 

NOTE : Right after the incident, I starting paying full fare for my journey and kept those tickets as evidence (if needed).

[dx100uk]

good morning

welcome aboard CAG.

 

 

You have had the letter from Anglia asking for you side of the story I gather?

what date was this?

and have you replied yet?

 

 

dx

[dx100uk]

oh and theres no such thing as capital punishment in this country so stop worrying there

 

 

dx

[RR0]

Hi dx,

 

Thanks for your immediate response.

 

At the moment, I just got the letter to confirm that I am the one, which the Revenue Inspector had caught. And didn't asked for any explanation or my side of the story.

 

After going through multiple other threads of same kind, I understand that repetition of the same mistake will be considered as deliberate/intentional. And they will treat it as a criminal offence. Case will be send to court and also will affect the credit rating etc. In the process will affect my current job too.

 

If there is a problem to my job/employment then me and my family will be deep trouble. And also will impact my mortgage payment (which is a major one) too.

 

I sincerely feeling bad and ashamed for what I have done.

And immediately change my behaviour by buying ticket for my total journey rather than dodging it.

[RR0]

And I didn't replied back to that letter yet. They are looking for confirmation to be sent back to them in 14 days.

 

 

Incident took place on 22nd Sep.

[dx100uk]

there are numerous threads here whereby like cases have been settled outside of court.

some far far worse than yours.

 

 

are you sure the letter is not asking for you to reply?

[dx100uk]

cross posted yes confirm

[RR0]

Hi dx,

 

Based on your comment,

I opened the letter and read it cautiously and keep myself intact.

And yes, you are right they are asking me to send my side of the story.

 

Below is the actual wording from the letter.

 

On Thursday 22nd September 2016 at Liverpool Street station a person giving the above name and address was questioned by a member of rail staff about the payment of a rail fair.

 

All the available evidence is being considered as to whether legal proceedings are appropriate.

If you consider that there are further mitigating factors that may influence any decision that may be made about this matter you are invited to respond, within 14 days of the date of this letter using the enclosed FREEPOST envelope.

 

 

If you wish to make any comments about the incident, please do so on the reverse of this letter. Please ensure that ALL details below are completed and returned to ensure our records are up to date.

 

As I mentioned, I am having many sleepless nights and it affecting my health.

I sincerely feel sorry for what I did and planning to write a apology and accepting the fact.

 

Please let me know, if it is the right thing to do at this moment.

 

Even though, I got the letter on 17th, but the letter is having a date of 10th Nov.

Looks like I have to respond back by today or tomorrow without fail.

[honeybee13]

Hello there.

 

If you would like to write your apology and post it up here, we can have a look at it for you and suggest any changes you might need to make.

 

Be truthful, keep it to the point and don't post up your name or anything that could identify you in the letter.

 

HB

[RR0]

Below is the letter that I had drafted. Pls advice.

 

===

 

Dear Sir/Madam,

 

I've been regularly travelling from Lewisham to London Bridge by having annual ticket until all these years.

Quite recently, I moved to Colchester and travelling once or twice in a week (sometimes not even once in a week).

 

I do admit that I am travelling part of the journey without valid ticket in order to save few pounds based on the wrong advice that I had received from a known person. Ideally, I should not do it in the first place.

 

I admit that I was guilty and being dishonest. And I sincerely apologize for it.

I am extremely remorseful and feeling very sorry for it.

I had committed an offence and there is no chance to escape any punishment.

 

My finances were bit tight because of my parent’s recent visit to UK, new massive mortgage and other additional expenses after moving to the new place. All these things had affected my thinking and become a prey to the wrong advice that I had received.

 

I have many sleepless nights because of constant remembrance of the incident and feeling ashamed for what I did.

 

I am more worried about the consequences that I am going to face, now.

How this incident is going to affect my employment and how my family and my 2 kids are going to struggle and problems that they are going face without my monthly earnings/salary, if I am being sent to court and jailed.

 

I don’t want to get away with anything.

I fully realise that I need to pay what is due

– I want to show that I had learnt my lesson in a hard way.

 

I fully accept that I appear to have breached the Railway Byelaws and/or the National Rail Conditions of Carriage, and understand, fully, that it is my responsibility to pay fare for the full journey.

 

 

I can assure you that this incident has enabled me to fully appreciate the seriousness of failing, and I sincerely apologise for the inconvenience I have caused.

 

As an evidence of change in my immediate behaviour,

I am attaching the x-copies of the ticket that I am purchasing a proper ticket for my full journey (immediately after the incident) and dropped other plans of going in friend’s vehicle etc. to avoid any additional stress, which is affecting my health, work and personal life.

 

I would respectfully ask that in light of the above, this matter may be concluded by covering any administrative costs (Penalty fare/fine/compensation), you may have incurred from my actions and to Settle Out of Court.

 

Thank you.

 

 

Yours Sincerely,

=======

[dx100uk]

I appreciate English is not your first language but there are numerous mistakes

and no don't mention no attach new tickets

 

 

simply briefly and with remorse

offer to pay any reasonable admin costs and equivalent fine sums to avoid a criminal record

as this will effect your future and your employment prospects.

[andydd]

oh and theres no such thing as capital punishment in this country so stop worrying there

 

 

dx

 

String em up I say

[Old-CodJA]

Accepting that English is not your first language, I don't think that little mistakes in grammar etc. are any bad thing, but it is important to get the substantive content right. Your letter is clearly a personal appeal to the company to deal with the matter outside of a Court hearing

 

I suggest that you remove this sentence:

 

My finances were bit tight because of my parent’s recent visit to UK, new massive mortgage and other additional expenses after moving to the new place.

 

You are hoping that the company will deal with the matter outside of a Court hearing and that means by an administrative penalty. The company are not interested in your daily expenditure, but if they think that you are unlikely to be able to pay the costs that have been incurred by their processes, they may decide to leave collection of any fine to the Courts.

 

Otherwise, your letter does indicate remorse and an appeal for leniency.

 

There is no guarantee that they will grant you an opportunity to settle, but if I were you I would make plans to get together sufficient funds to pay all the outstanding fares and the train operating company's (TOC) administration costs in one payment immediately if they do agree.

 

If you have not come to light travelling without valid tickets previously and not having had any Penalty Fares Notices in the past, they may agree a settlement, but this is entirely at the TOCs discretion.