Hi all
I was stopped at Cutty Sark DLR two days ago with my fiancée. I managed to unfortunately literally lose my credit card (pay as you go) on the DLR.
When stopped, I explained I dropped my card (I only found out when stopped - if I wanted to intentionally fare dodge I would have turned around instead of going to meet the enforcement officials). I immediately cancelled my credit card as well.
I simply informed them that I’m happy to pay the fine - and to please send it to my address or provide me with payment details (impossible for me to pay immediately given I had no credit card)! The enforcement officials didn’t seem to like my approach of simply repeating that Id like the matter resolved ASAP and would like to leave after they have my details - and inexplicably threatened to prosecute me by name dropping a law firm in the neighbourhood. I happen to be a lawyer and pointed out that’s probably not how it works which probably wasn’t the cleverest move.
I offered up my details and they seemed to make numerous errors (my DOB, name, address) and recorded my statement erroneously which I had to repeatedly correct. When that was done; I asked again if I could leave and they said if I left they would note down that I walked away. I said fine - and to please send me the documents and I’ll pay them - before leaving with my fiancée who’s pregnant and understandably stressed by the situation.
Now my concern is that I am leaving the U.K. indefinitely in several days (I am not a U.K. citizen or long term resident). I am moving out of my current address and so any notice here is likely going to be missed.
Now having done the research, I understand that in the event there’s a prosecution; I could get hit under the byelaw or under the law which requires proof of intent.
I am hoping to receive a quick penalty fare notice which I can promptly pay but I am assuming it’s at the option of the enforcement officers; who clearly wasn’t very pleased with me.
If they choose to prosecute me; it gets a bit annoying considering I simply won’t be around in the U.K. I assume there’s an option of just ignoring it since I’m leaving the country for good but I doubt that’s where I want to go with it.
Annoyingly, there isn’t an email address I can easily reach, I’ve gone and put in an inquiry at https://www.ircas.co.uk/ but I’m not sure how effective this is, especially since I don’t have a ref number.
My two main queries are:
1. Is there a way to reach the relevant persons before they issue the paperwork (or even after); and
2. Do they ever prosecute under the intention crime? Happy to take the byelaw hit (strict liability and all) but obviously wouldn’t want to be found guilty of an intention based crime while I’m not in the country or in attendance to defend myself!
Also probably a very niche point but in the event I miss everything and I get hit with a £1000 fine but never return to the U.K... what happens?
Any other advice would of course be appreciated.
I was stopped at Cutty Sark DLR two days ago with my fiancée. I managed to unfortunately literally lose my credit card (pay as you go) on the DLR.
When stopped, I explained I dropped my card (I only found out when stopped - if I wanted to intentionally fare dodge I would have turned around instead of going to meet the enforcement officials). I immediately cancelled my credit card as well.
I simply informed them that I’m happy to pay the fine - and to please send it to my address or provide me with payment details (impossible for me to pay immediately given I had no credit card)! The enforcement officials didn’t seem to like my approach of simply repeating that Id like the matter resolved ASAP and would like to leave after they have my details - and inexplicably threatened to prosecute me by name dropping a law firm in the neighbourhood. I happen to be a lawyer and pointed out that’s probably not how it works which probably wasn’t the cleverest move.
I offered up my details and they seemed to make numerous errors (my DOB, name, address) and recorded my statement erroneously which I had to repeatedly correct. When that was done; I asked again if I could leave and they said if I left they would note down that I walked away. I said fine - and to please send me the documents and I’ll pay them - before leaving with my fiancée who’s pregnant and understandably stressed by the situation.
Now my concern is that I am leaving the U.K. indefinitely in several days (I am not a U.K. citizen or long term resident). I am moving out of my current address and so any notice here is likely going to be missed.
Now having done the research, I understand that in the event there’s a prosecution; I could get hit under the byelaw or under the law which requires proof of intent.
I am hoping to receive a quick penalty fare notice which I can promptly pay but I am assuming it’s at the option of the enforcement officers; who clearly wasn’t very pleased with me.
If they choose to prosecute me; it gets a bit annoying considering I simply won’t be around in the U.K. I assume there’s an option of just ignoring it since I’m leaving the country for good but I doubt that’s where I want to go with it.
Annoyingly, there isn’t an email address I can easily reach, I’ve gone and put in an inquiry at https://www.ircas.co.uk/ but I’m not sure how effective this is, especially since I don’t have a ref number.
My two main queries are:
1. Is there a way to reach the relevant persons before they issue the paperwork (or even after); and
2. Do they ever prosecute under the intention crime? Happy to take the byelaw hit (strict liability and all) but obviously wouldn’t want to be found guilty of an intention based crime while I’m not in the country or in attendance to defend myself!
Also probably a very niche point but in the event I miss everything and I get hit with a £1000 fine but never return to the U.K... what happens?
Any other advice would of course be appreciated.