Caught fare evasion by TfL

[WesternLancer]

Thank you all. I have to admit that I was really foolish and chose to do something very stupid and wrong. I am truly remorseful and will never break the law again.

It has indeed taught me a lesson, and I deeply regret it.

However, may I ask for some advice on this matter? What should I do for the next? I have contacted student union to talk about it. Should I contact a solicitor to represent me?

You should see what the Student Union advisors suggest - but they may have an arrangement with a firm of solicitors where students can see the solicitor for initial advice at no or reduced cost - so you could ask about that.

If you think the seriousness of what could now happen to your prospects for extended study and work in the UK are so serious such that you want to ask a solicitor to see if they can try to resolve the matter with TfL then you could ring one or two at least to get a quote on how much they would charge to tray and help you in terms of solicitors fees.

Firms that get regularly mentioned on this forum who have specialisms in fare evasion issues include:

Manak Solicitors
and
Penmanm Sedwick Solicitors

Manak Solicitors | Sevenoaks, Orpington, Gravesend and London

Manak Solicitors: Your trusted legal experts for Family Law, Immigration, Conveyancing, Wills & Probate, and Employment Law. Experience professional, bespoke services.

manaksolicitors.co.uk

Solicitors in Watford - Penman Sedgwick

Whether you're going through a divorce or need a will, probate or selling residential property, we have the specialised legal team you need.

penmansedgwick.com

 

[Sevenseven77]

thank you guys so much for useful information.

I asked Student Union yesterday and they are not able to give me any advice. I plan to ask for Visa team in our uni.

I also picked an Oyster card in the ticket machine, I give it to an office and took a photo. Should I mentioned it if I was sent a letter of prosecuting me?

 

[WesternLancer]

I asked Student Union yesterday and they are not able to give me any advice. I plan to ask for Visa team in our uni.

This is sensible. The visa team should be able to advise you on what impact any prosecution for this might have an a student visa application.

I also picked an Oyster card in the ticket machine, I give it to an office and took a photo. Should I mentioned it if I was sent a letter of prosecuting me?

Do you mean you picked up and handed in an Oyster card you found in a ticket machine? If so that is the right thing to do but it does not really have any bearing on what you did to give rise to a risk of being prosecuted.

 

[franow]

Hi what was the outcome of your case?

 

[Gloster]

Hi what was the outcome of your case?

If you have a problem, please start your own thread. It is forum policy to have only one case per thread in order that accurate advice can be given: even if two cases may appear superficially similar, they may require different handling.

It is unlikely that this case has proceeded very far.

 

[Sevenseven77]

Hi, all. I received a SJPN today

Can anyone help me with what I could do now?
On the page of statement of witness, they said some wrong words that I didn't say.
I also don't know how to complete the finance page. I have a part-time job at last year, up to this January. But I don't have any income now. Should I write no income or write my whole income in the last year?

They also used my English name which does not apper on my passport. Should I confirm the name? My passport only contain my Chinese name.

 

[Sevenseven77]

The page of statement of witness is like the following:

I didn't say it's wasting time.

 

[AlterEgo]

The page of statement of witness is like the following:

I didn't say it's wasting time.

Lucky for you they had you down as saying you wasted time, rather than doing it for fun, which you hilariously admitted to in correspondence. Truly the worst thing you could have said I’m afraid.

I don’t think you have any chance of avoiding prosecution.

 

[skyhigh]

Can anyone help me with what I could do now?

Plead guilty.

You were silly enough to tell them in writing you evaded the fare "for fun".

TfL almost always prosecute. When you wrote to them you provided no reason for them not to prosecute and instead told them why you deserved to see court. It's near impossible to change their mind now.

They have a slam dunk conviction here and if it goes to court you haven't a chance of avoiding a conviction.

At least by pleading guilty you receive a discount on the court fine. I think that's the best you can hope for now.

 

[Sevenseven77]

I plan to plead my guilty and go to court.

But the name is wrong. They used my English name which is not an official name in any official document relevant to me. Should I tell they to change to my official name?

I plan to be honest to avoid any further trouble, tell them that the name should be changed to my official name

 

[AlbertBeale]

I plan to plead my guilty and go to court.

But the name is wrong. They used my English name which is not an official name in any official document relevant to me. Should I tell they to change to my official name?

I plan to be honest to avoid any further trouble, tell them that the name should be changed to my official name

If you plead guilty you don't need to go to court in person.

 

[Sevenseven77]

No, I choose to go to court. Not going to court will be harmful

 

[AlbertBeale]

No, I choose to go to court. Not going to court will be harmful

Why would not going to court be harmful? It's perfectly normal for a guilty plea to be sent by post for this sort of offence. As long as you provide them with the information their paperwork asks for when you reply - such as your income, so they can set the fine accordingly - you won't get any worse outcome by dealing with it by post than you would if you turned up.

Since they're proceeding by way of the SJP procedure, it might even be seen as strange for you to turn up and insist on taking up court time unnecessarily if you're pleading guilty ... unless you think you can make a brilliant speech to the court that will persuade them to lower the level of the fine. But that's really rather unlikely! (There's a standard tariff of fines for things like this.)

 

[AlterEgo]

No, I choose to go to court. Not going to court will be harmful

You don’t need to attend. These matters are usually dealt with by post. It isn’t in your interests to attend court; you would best be served at this point by saying nothing other than making an apology in reply to the SJPN.

As for your name, the law in the UK is not especially prescriptive about your name. If you have a Chinese name, for example, in your passport, but normally use an English name (let’s say Eric Smith) then replying that your name is Eric Smith is perfectly reasonable. It might be the name you publish works under, or the one everyone knows you by. I am popularly known by a slightly different name to the one in my passport, for example. If you feel it will cause problems you can freehand that your full official name on your passport is (indigenous name) so you can feel fulfilled in your duty to the court to confirm your identity.

 

[Sevenseven77]

As for your name, the law in the UK is not especially prescriptive about your name. If you have a Chinese name, for example, in your passport, but normally use an English name (let’s say Eric Smith) then replying that your name is Eric Smith is perfectly reasonable. It might be the name you publish works under, or the one everyone knows you by. I am popularly known by a slightly different name to the one in my passport, for example. If you feel it will cause problems you can freehand that your full official name on your passport is (indigenous name) so you can feel fulfilled in your duty to the court to confirm your identity.

Thank you for this information. very useful.
Can I ask another question? as I'm currently a student and don't have any income. Should I write my last year part-time job's income in the Finance page?

 

[Sevenseven77]

I choose to go to court as I heard from another forum. I really don't know which one is better. But it's a lesson in my life. I want to show my remorse.

By the way, should I write another begging letter to TfL? I'm not a person who easily give up any chance.

 

[Brissle Girl]

I choose to go to court as I heard from another forum. I really don't know which one is better. But it's a lesson in my life. I want to show my remorse.

By the way, should I write another begging letter to TfL? I'm not a person who easily give up any chance.

I don’t know what other forum you are seeking advice from, but trust me, all you will be doing is wasting people’s time.

And on the second point, it will not do you any good, so you will be wasting your own time. You are guilty, and told them you enjoyed doing it. Why would they change their mind?

 

[AlterEgo]

I choose to go to court as I heard from another forum. I really don't know which one is better. But it's a lesson in my life. I want to show my remorse.

By the way, should I write another begging letter to TfL? I'm not a person who easily give up any chance.

I think your interests are best served by saying as little as possible at this stage, save for an apology on the SJPN.

TfL almost always prosecute people who commit the kind of offence you did, and you compounded this by saying you did it for your own amusement. I do not think it is wise to waste more of their time, but that choice is up to you.

 

[AlbertBeale]

I choose to go to court as I heard from another forum. I really don't know which one is better. But it's a lesson in my life. I want to show my remorse.

By the way, should I write another begging letter to TfL? I'm not a person who easily give up any chance.

Unless the other forum is made up of either lawyers or people with lots of experience of railway ticketing charges, then it might not be a good idea to take much notice of them.

A begging letter to TfL begging them to do what? If you want them to deal with this without a prosecution, firstly - as you've been told - they very rarely do that, and (more importantly) it's anyway too late for that now since it has gone into the court system (hence your SJP notice).