Court summons for fare evasion

[dee.monae]

ive received a court summons for fare evasion from southeastern, I have been at university and have not been able to access my court summons until this week even though my court hearing is next week, i really do not want this to go to court, am I still able to write to the prosecution to try and get an out of court settlement?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

So, you need to give us some more information before the experts here can help you

What journey did you make, from what station to where?
When did you make this journey?
What time was your train?
Do you remember being stopped on the day by a member of rail staff or revenue inspection officer?
Did you purchase a ticket?
Is this the first correspondence you have received? Are you sure you haven't received anything else and forgotten?

More detail is needed

 

[Haywain]

ive received a court summons for fare evasion from southeastern, I have been at university and have not been able to access my court summons until this week even though my court hearing is next week, i really do not want this to go to court, am I still able to write to the prosecution to try and get an out of court settlement?

Yes, and you could even approach the prosecutor on the day before it gets into the court room.

 

[dee.monae]

So, you need to give us some more information before the experts here can help you

What journey did you make, from what station to where?
When did you make this journey?
What time was your train?
Do you remember being stopped on the day by a member of rail staff or revenue inspection officer?
Did you purchase a ticket?
Is this the first correspondence you have received? Are you sure you haven't received anything else and forgotten?

More detail is needed

I made the journey from Greenwich and at the station the ticket machine was unavailable, there was nobody in the ticket office, however the summons said I travelled from abbey wood, no I didn’t have a ticket but I was going to buy one with the hopes that there wouldve been a conductor on the train or I could buy one when I got off, this is the only correspondence im aware of as I am at university and cannot monitor what post I get unfortunately unless my family alert me. I was not stopped by the revenue officer I approached him as I wanted to buy a ticket but he was rather unfriendly and it resulted in him triggering my anxiety and him thinking that I was lying hence why I received a caution. This is my time ever being in this type of predicament and I suffer with anxiety’ and depression currently which has been very tough for me to manage with this situation. I would really prefer not to go to court as I am a pharmacy student also and this could affect my DBS. Is it too late to write to agree an out of court settlement? I would appreciate any help offered

 

[AlterEgo]

I made the journey from Greenwich and at the station the ticket machine was unavailable, there was nobody in the ticket office, however the summons said I travelled from abbey wood, no I didn’t have a ticket but I was going to buy one with the hopes that there wouldve been a conductor on the train or I could buy one when I got off, this is the only correspondence im aware of as I am at university and cannot monitor what post I get unfortunately unless my family alert me. I was not stopped by the revenue officer I approached him as I wanted to buy a ticket but he was rather unfriendly and it resulted in him triggering my anxiety and him thinking that I was lying hence why I received a caution. This is my time ever being in this type of predicament and I suffer with anxiety’ and depression currently which has been very tough for me to manage with this situation. I would really prefer not to go to court as I am a pharmacy student also and this could affect my DBS. Is it too late to write to agree an out of court settlement? I would appreciate any help offered

Where were you travelling to?

Why did they think you started your journey at Abbey Wood? Trains do not normally originate from there, why do they now suspect you had come from further away, and in particular that station?

Were you interviewed under caution? Where were you stopped?

It is always possible to attempt to agree an out of court settlement before the court case. What other correspondence have you received?

 

[dee.monae]

I was travelling to Chatham, I mentioned that I was coming from abbey wood as I had got my hair done there but my actual train journey was from Greenwich
Yes I was interviews under caution and where i had said to officer that that my intention was not to avoid paying my fair there is no comment just quotation marks, which makes no sense as I was very intent on buying a ticket but the revenue officer had denied me that opportunity

I have not received any other correspondence just the court summons, I don’t know if there was any correspondence prior to this.

 

[AlterEgo]

I was travelling to Chatham, I mentioned that I was coming from abbey wood as I had got my hair done there but my actual train journey was from Greenwich
Yes I was interviews under caution and where i had said to officer that that my intention was not to avoid paying my fair there is no comment just quotation marks, which makes no sense as I was very intent on buying a ticket but the revenue officer had denied me that opportunity

I have not received any other correspondence just the court summons, I don’t know if there was any correspondence prior to this.

Ah, okay - so the journey is shorter than truth. I had assumed you were going into London.

What did the officer say when you told them the ticket machine was "unavailable?" What did you mean by this, that it was out of order? The ticket office manning at Greenwich is very sketchy; this is my local line and I use the station often.

Southeastern will usually send a letter before a summons asking you for your side of the story. So this seems to have been lost and now the company has issued a summons. We should be careful to ascertain if you have a defence before advising you to settle.

 

[dee.monae]

I’m not sure about the letter before the summons as I am away at university most of the time so I rely on my family to inform me of letters but sometimes they don’t unfortunately

 

[WesternLancer]

I’m not sure about the letter before the summons as I am away at university most of the time so I rely on my family to inform me of letters but sometimes they don’t unfortunately

I suggest as well as getting advice here you go to your student union advice service for help as soon as you can contact them given the timescale.