Given that, if we assume no Railcards are in play, offering the short fare in this case would have cost them
more than saying Stoke Mandeville in the first place, I find myself wondering why the person/company the OP has been dealing with thus far is unwilling to accept a settlement, particularly when you consider that:
- With a settlement, Chiltern gets to keep every penny (less whatever they have to pay TIL).
- If it goes to Court, any fine goes to the Government. All Chiltern get is the fare due plus costs (typically around the £150 mark).
In any case, Chiltern have until mid-May to decide on whether to go to Court or not, and it may be the end of May before the OP receives any paperwork from the Court.