Help needed for apology letter - fare evasion with intend to prosecute

[gluestick3]

Hi! Back in October i was caught travelling from brighton to gatwick on a thameslink with a ticket only valid one stop from brighton to Preston Park (via trainline) as I was trying to save money. Obviously very stupid and when the inspector caught me out (we'd got to haywards heath) i lied at first and said that id missed the stop, when he pointed out that the train i was on didn't even go to preston park i gave up and just did as i was asked. he mentioned that he could see i'd been fined previously (which i have, probably 2-3 times in the last year or so for similar cases, dont remember but woul'dve been either not the right ticket or no ticket) and that i'd be given a prosecution letter which has now finally arrived, standard stuff giving me an opportunity to tell the truth - just wondered if anyone could check my draft and also clear up one thing. My journey that day was actually going to end in redhill - i said gatwick to him because this is where id get off the train hed caught me on, when i got to gatwick i paid for the correct ticket (i think! would've been very stupid to try and chance it again) on trainline again from gatwick to redhill so nothing dodgy there i just didn't tell him, so could've been innocent like my lift was going to get me at gatwick but couldnt so i met them at redhill etc. I just want to know if this is something i should mention in the letter? as i've seen them saying honesty is key but id argue i did nothing wrong in that next section of the journey so is it worth offering myself up further??
Here's my draft


Dear fair evasion manager,
I am writing in response to your letter dated (date), regarding the incident that took place on (date). I would first like to sincerely apologise for my actions, on the day in question I purchased a ticket that wasn't valid for the journey I was making due to it being cheaper than the ticket I required. I very stupidly did this due to financial troubles I was facing as a full-time student with no financial support. I have since learnt a very important lesson from this, and fully understand how not cooperating within the rules of travel affects everyone negatively as well as the repercussions a criminal record would have on my future as a young woman working towards her career. I would be incredibly grateful if I was able to be given the opportunity to settle this outside of court, and pay any outstanding fees and administrative costs I have caused promptly. Once again I am profusely sorry for my mistake and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,
(name)

 

[AndroidBango]

I'm sure the experts will be along shortly, but if you've been fined (penalty fared?) two or three times for incorrect tickets in the last twelve months then the TOC might take the view, reasonably, that you haven't learned your lesson. In other words you may have to work quite a bit harder to get an out of court settlement.

What had you done on the other occasions to be penalty fared?

 

[WesternLancer]

Hi! Back in October i was caught travelling from brighton to gatwick on a thameslink with a ticket only valid one stop from brighton to Preston Park (via trainline) as I was trying to save money. Obviously very stupid and when the inspector caught me out (we'd got to haywards heath) i lied at first and said that id missed the stop, when he pointed out that the train i was on didn't even go to preston park i gave up and just did as i was asked. he mentioned that he could see i'd been fined previously (which i have, probably 2-3 times in the last year or so for similar cases, dont remember but woul'dve been either not the right ticket or no ticket) and that i'd be given a prosecution letter which has now finally arrived, standard stuff giving me an opportunity to tell the truth - just wondered if anyone could check my draft and also clear up one thing. My journey that day was actually going to end in redhill - i said gatwick to him because this is where id get off the train hed caught me on, when i got to gatwick i paid for the correct ticket (i think! would've been very stupid to try and chance it again) on trainline again from gatwick to redhill so nothing dodgy there i just didn't tell him, so could've been innocent like my lift was going to get me at gatwick but couldnt so i met them at redhill etc. I just want to know if this is something i should mention in the letter? as i've seen them saying honesty is key but id argue i did nothing wrong in that next section of the journey so is it worth offering myself up further??
Here's my draft


Dear fair evasion manager,
I am writing in response to your letter dated (date), regarding the incident that took place on (date). I would first like to sincerely apologise for my actions, on the day in question I purchased a ticket that wasn't valid for the journey I was making due to it being cheaper than the ticket I required. I very stupidly did this due to financial troubles I was facing as a full-time student with no financial support. I have since learnt a very important lesson from this, and fully understand how not cooperating within the rules of travel affects everyone negatively as well as the repercussions a criminal record would have on my future as a young woman working towards her career. I would be incredibly grateful if I was able to be given the opportunity to settle this outside of court, and pay any outstanding fees and administrative costs I have caused promptly. Once again I am profusely sorry for my mistake and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,
(name)

Insert your case ref number in the response at the top.

Break it up into separate paragraphs.

One block of text is hard to read.

The content seems broadly ok.

When you send it back be sure to keep copies of everything and post it tracked postage.

 

[Pushpit]

I also think the letter is OK and has the merit of being to the point.

Is there anything you could add to give evidence as to why you won't do this again? Because you have "form" this may be a more difficult case to avoid prosecution, and some observers may think that prosecution should follow serial fare evaders who repeatedly steal from the public. But it would be good if you can say you have a railcard now, or that you now have the finances to pay your fares, and will never do so again. As things stand there is no commitment from you not to do this again.

 

[John R]

Can you please post the letter you have received, so that we can see exactly what you are replying to, (hiding any personal details).

 

[najaB]

Once again I am profusely sorry for my mistake and I look forward to hearing from you.

"Mistake" is perhaps not the right word to use, as it sounds like you are trying to avoid taking full responsibility.

 

[gluestick3]

"Mistake" is perhaps not the right word to use, as it sounds like you are trying to avoid taking full responsibility.

thanks so much, what would you reccomend, behaviour perhaps?

I also think the letter is OK and has the merit of being to the point.

Is there anything you could add to give evidence as to why you won't do this again? Because you have "form" this may be a more difficult case to avoid prosecution, and some observers may think that prosecution should follow serial fare evaders who repeatedly steal from the public. But it would be good if you can say you have a railcard now, or that you now have the finances to pay your fares, and will never do so again. As things stand there is no commitment from you not to do this again.

ah yes thanks for your help i was strugglling for how to say that, i do have a rail card but i did back then also, i don't know how intricately they investigate

 

[najaB]

thanks so much, what would you reccomend, behaviour perhaps?

That would be better, yes.

 

[gluestick3]

I'm sure the experts will be along shortly, but if you've been fined (penalty fared?) two or three times for incorrect tickets in the last twelve months then the TOC might take the view, reasonably, that you haven't learned your lesson. In other words you may have to work quite a bit harder to get an out of court settlement.

What had you done on the other occasions to be penalty fared?

very similar cases, there was a penalty fare for a missing ticket on a 4 minute journey with no stops in between simply because i got very used to being able to buy it on the train and the inspector didn't allow it, i appealed this one as I wasn't actually trying to dodge the fare but reasonably they didn't accept, that was sometime during late spring/early summer and then another one again on a thameslink to brighton

sorry i sent my reply early! on the thameslink it was because I didn't have a ticket on me at all I believe