captain pants
Member
- Joined
- 2 May 2018
- Messages
- 6
Wondering if anyone had some tips/experience for my problem.
I travel on a weekly student over-18 Oyster photocard and lost my photocard during my regular journey from Liverpool Street Station to Walthamstow Central on the overland network last month. I only realized I didn't have my photocard on me when I went to go through the barriers. I looked for it on the platform in case I had dropped it (no luck) and then went to one of the inspectors on the platform (our station is a hotspot for fare evaders) and told him the situation and also giving him my driving licence as I assumed he would need my details to give me a penalty fare and send me on my way. This happened once before, in January, and I paid an on the spot fine which later was refunded as I could prove I did have a valid ticket for the journey through my Oystercard journey history.
However he reported me for fare evasion instead (didn't even offer me a chance to pay a penalty fare) and I am waiting to hear back whether TfL will prosecute me for fare evasion. They sent me the 'Intention to prosecute' letter which I responded to by stating I did not evade my fare and also sent proof of (a) the purchase of the valid weekly pass on my bank statement and (b) my journey history which shows I touched in Liverpool Street Station on that day but never touched out. I called them today to ask what the progress was (it's been a week since I responded) and they said they were 'still investigating'.
Investigating what? They have all the proof that I had a valid ticket. The oystecard journey history was requested from TfL so it's not like I faked it. I ALWAYS buy a ticket to travel. If I had used someone else's pass or had tried to get a free trip I would accept it but it's not the case.
I feel this is incredibly unfair and can't believe I am facing a criminal conviction for losing my pass during the journey. On top of this, I am studying law and trying to change career but I am faced with the prospect of being unable to practice because of a conviction while being 000's of £ in debt from a uni degree I can never use.
Any similar experiences? Would love to know how they turned out.
Also, once the inspector had taken my details and made a phone call (I don't know who to) he then said he had to ask me some questions which we had already covered. I said 'ok' and he asked me if I had a valid ticket. I said no, because I lost it. He then asked me if I was aware it is an offence to travel without a valid ticket on the network. I said yes. I feel he asked me these questions because they might be relied upon in a prosecution but he never cautioned me. Can I argue that this makes my answer to those questions inadmissible in court?
I travel on a weekly student over-18 Oyster photocard and lost my photocard during my regular journey from Liverpool Street Station to Walthamstow Central on the overland network last month. I only realized I didn't have my photocard on me when I went to go through the barriers. I looked for it on the platform in case I had dropped it (no luck) and then went to one of the inspectors on the platform (our station is a hotspot for fare evaders) and told him the situation and also giving him my driving licence as I assumed he would need my details to give me a penalty fare and send me on my way. This happened once before, in January, and I paid an on the spot fine which later was refunded as I could prove I did have a valid ticket for the journey through my Oystercard journey history.
However he reported me for fare evasion instead (didn't even offer me a chance to pay a penalty fare) and I am waiting to hear back whether TfL will prosecute me for fare evasion. They sent me the 'Intention to prosecute' letter which I responded to by stating I did not evade my fare and also sent proof of (a) the purchase of the valid weekly pass on my bank statement and (b) my journey history which shows I touched in Liverpool Street Station on that day but never touched out. I called them today to ask what the progress was (it's been a week since I responded) and they said they were 'still investigating'.
Investigating what? They have all the proof that I had a valid ticket. The oystecard journey history was requested from TfL so it's not like I faked it. I ALWAYS buy a ticket to travel. If I had used someone else's pass or had tried to get a free trip I would accept it but it's not the case.
I feel this is incredibly unfair and can't believe I am facing a criminal conviction for losing my pass during the journey. On top of this, I am studying law and trying to change career but I am faced with the prospect of being unable to practice because of a conviction while being 000's of £ in debt from a uni degree I can never use.
Any similar experiences? Would love to know how they turned out.
Also, once the inspector had taken my details and made a phone call (I don't know who to) he then said he had to ask me some questions which we had already covered. I said 'ok' and he asked me if I had a valid ticket. I said no, because I lost it. He then asked me if I was aware it is an offence to travel without a valid ticket on the network. I said yes. I feel he asked me these questions because they might be relied upon in a prosecution but he never cautioned me. Can I argue that this makes my answer to those questions inadmissible in court?