Last year on my regular commute from City Thameslink to Harpenden station, ticket inspectors on the train asked to show tickets. I showed mine. They then asked to see my Railcard, which I then showed, however upon my surprise it was expired by a few weeks. Incident happened in first few days of November, Railcard expired in October. I tried to explain that this was a genuine mistake, that they could see by how recently my Railcard expired that this was an oversight, I missed the email notification of expiry etc. The ticket inspector then asked for my details, I then said I would pay for a full price ticket to rectify the mistake and that I can show evidence of all my previous travels before the Railcard expired, showing I always followed the rules etc. Of course rules were rules and I got a ticket.
The reason I missed the original notification of expiry was due to how busy I was at the time and the sheer volume of emails I received, I did not even know about the email until after the incident. Of course I understand that regardless it was my responsibility to be diligent about my documents.
As I mentioned this period was a very busy one for me so I missed the initial penalty notice cut off, and then while away from home I received a letter for a settlement around early March. I did not know about this letter until early last week when I returned home. Fast forward a couple days later and I receive a court summons. The standard magistrates court charge letter where I have to plead guilty or not guilty, provide financial information etc.
Today I drafted a letter to the prosecutions department of GTR and had it sent by the fastest guaranteed service for tomorrow. My court date is around 2 and a half weeks away. I'm hoping they will respond in time and accept my apology and offer to settle out of court. Is there any other way to contact them since I am running extremely short on time with the fast approaching court date?
The second question I have is I'm joining the army and scheduled to start training in the Summer. If the worst was to happen and they don't accept and I get a conviction, there is a possibility of a unspent conviction waiver that would allow me to start training (this is at the army's discretion and not guaranteed). However I looked up Magistrate Courts charge to conviction average time, and with the current backlog, the average is months, with many even being around a year. This would of course be a huge setback for me as I would not be able to join until the case has been concluded, as an unspent conviction waiver can't apply until the case is over. Does anyone know how long these usually take to fully conclude?
Below is the letter I sent
"
Prosecutions Department
Eastside Offices
King’s Cross Railway Station
London N1C 4AX
Ref: ****************
Date of Incident:
Dear Fare Evasion Manager,
I am writing in response to your letter regarding reference ************ and the court letters I received. I wish to begin by offering my sincerest apologies for this unfortunate situation. I deeply regret any inconvenience caused and want to assure you that this was never my intention.
I have been a regular and law-abiding commuter for many years and have always taken pride in ensuring that I am an upstanding citizen. Unfortunately, due to an oversight, my railcard expired a few weeks prior in October 2024 without my realization. The email notification regarding its expiration went unnoticed as I was extremely busy with work and personal commitments, I have now learnt to be more diligent in the future to avoid situations like this. When I presented my ticket for inspection, I was genuinely shocked to discover that my railcard was no longer valid. I immediately offered to pay for another ticket to rectify the mistake and renew my railcard as soon as I could, but I fully understand that the rules must be followed.
Regrettably, I also missed the deadline to respond to the initial penalty notice due to ongoing travel, illness, and disorganization on my part. I take full responsibility for this and recognize that I should have been more proactive and organised. This experience has taught me a crucial lesson about staying organized and ensuring that all documents are up to date.
I am keen to settle this matter amicably and avoid court proceedings. I deeply respect the railway services and the hard work of their staff, and I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to resolve this by paying the outstanding fare, any administrative costs, and any appropriate penalty. Additionally, I am due to begin training with the British Army in July. A conviction would not allow me to join until spent, which would be a huge set-back for me, and a spent conviction could impact my future career opportunities, particularly in units with strict security clearance requirements. Given that the court date is approaching fast, I would be immensely grateful for any discretion that can be extended in this matter to resolve this as soon as possible.
Once again, I sincerely apologize for the oversight and any inconvenience caused. I hope you will consider my request to please settle this matter out of court.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I greatly appreciate your understanding and look forward to your response.
Yours faithfully,"
The reason I missed the original notification of expiry was due to how busy I was at the time and the sheer volume of emails I received, I did not even know about the email until after the incident. Of course I understand that regardless it was my responsibility to be diligent about my documents.
As I mentioned this period was a very busy one for me so I missed the initial penalty notice cut off, and then while away from home I received a letter for a settlement around early March. I did not know about this letter until early last week when I returned home. Fast forward a couple days later and I receive a court summons. The standard magistrates court charge letter where I have to plead guilty or not guilty, provide financial information etc.
Today I drafted a letter to the prosecutions department of GTR and had it sent by the fastest guaranteed service for tomorrow. My court date is around 2 and a half weeks away. I'm hoping they will respond in time and accept my apology and offer to settle out of court. Is there any other way to contact them since I am running extremely short on time with the fast approaching court date?
The second question I have is I'm joining the army and scheduled to start training in the Summer. If the worst was to happen and they don't accept and I get a conviction, there is a possibility of a unspent conviction waiver that would allow me to start training (this is at the army's discretion and not guaranteed). However I looked up Magistrate Courts charge to conviction average time, and with the current backlog, the average is months, with many even being around a year. This would of course be a huge setback for me as I would not be able to join until the case has been concluded, as an unspent conviction waiver can't apply until the case is over. Does anyone know how long these usually take to fully conclude?
Below is the letter I sent
"
Prosecutions Department
Eastside Offices
King’s Cross Railway Station
London N1C 4AX
Ref: ****************
Date of Incident:
Dear Fare Evasion Manager,
I am writing in response to your letter regarding reference ************ and the court letters I received. I wish to begin by offering my sincerest apologies for this unfortunate situation. I deeply regret any inconvenience caused and want to assure you that this was never my intention.
I have been a regular and law-abiding commuter for many years and have always taken pride in ensuring that I am an upstanding citizen. Unfortunately, due to an oversight, my railcard expired a few weeks prior in October 2024 without my realization. The email notification regarding its expiration went unnoticed as I was extremely busy with work and personal commitments, I have now learnt to be more diligent in the future to avoid situations like this. When I presented my ticket for inspection, I was genuinely shocked to discover that my railcard was no longer valid. I immediately offered to pay for another ticket to rectify the mistake and renew my railcard as soon as I could, but I fully understand that the rules must be followed.
Regrettably, I also missed the deadline to respond to the initial penalty notice due to ongoing travel, illness, and disorganization on my part. I take full responsibility for this and recognize that I should have been more proactive and organised. This experience has taught me a crucial lesson about staying organized and ensuring that all documents are up to date.
I am keen to settle this matter amicably and avoid court proceedings. I deeply respect the railway services and the hard work of their staff, and I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to resolve this by paying the outstanding fare, any administrative costs, and any appropriate penalty. Additionally, I am due to begin training with the British Army in July. A conviction would not allow me to join until spent, which would be a huge set-back for me, and a spent conviction could impact my future career opportunities, particularly in units with strict security clearance requirements. Given that the court date is approaching fast, I would be immensely grateful for any discretion that can be extended in this matter to resolve this as soon as possible.
Once again, I sincerely apologize for the oversight and any inconvenience caused. I hope you will consider my request to please settle this matter out of court.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I greatly appreciate your understanding and look forward to your response.
Yours faithfully,"
), but not such that they will fundamentally alter what you were saying in your letter - which seems to cover the key points.
