I've Received a Notice of Intention to Prosecute

[JEC2304]

In January 2025, I bought a train ticket using a 16-25 saver railcard that didn't belong to me. I screenshotted a friends railcard and photoshopped my picture onto it, but didn't change the name. When taking the train I was approached by the revenue support team who asked to see my railcard, when I showed them they asked for ID to prove the card was my own. I panicked and said I had two names and wasnt currently carrying ID for the name I had on my railcard. I think they could quite obviously see through my lie and took a statement from me. I continued to lie, giving them my real name but my friends address. I dont really know what I was trying to achieve in this moment. They gave me a case reference and asked me to upload proof of ID on the thameslink railway website as soon as I could. I obviously could not do this but instead of following it up I just left it. Now, 2 months later I've received a notice of intention to prosecute. I'm quite freaked out by this and don't want a criminal record or to have to go to court. I've written a response in the hopes the company will understand that this was a moment of panic and that I truly have understood the importance of not lying. Please let me know what you think and any changes it may need!!


" I would like to begin by sincerely apologising for my decision to use a railcard that did not belong to me, to purchase a rail ticket. I now deeply regret this decision and understand the repercussions my actions have on Kings Cross Railway Services.

On the day that I purchased the rail ticket, using the 16-25 railcard belonging to someone else, I claimed it was my own and panicked when asked about it by the Revenue Protection Team. Foolishly, this caused me to lie, claiming that the railcard was mine although I had no supporting proof. This was a poor attempt to avoid being caught using a railcard that was not my own and I feel immense shame and embarrassment for my dishonesty.

I fully acknowledge this was not the right course of action and that using someone else's railcard was wrong. Despite my actions, I do understand the importance of honesty and integrity in this matter as well as the consequences my actions have on rail services. I understand that UK rail companies lose £240 million every year. I deeply regret my dishonest

Since this incident, I have purchased my own railcard as I have understood the importance of having my own and purchasing eligible tickets lawfully. I wish to assure you this type of selfish behaviour will not continue.

I hope you will take this letter into consideration when reviewing my case. I would be most grateful for the possibility of avoiding prosecution and coming to an out-of-court settlement. "

I have also bought tickets in the past with the 16-25 discount and I would be more than happy to repay the differences in fares to make up for this. Ive done a bit of research and it looks like they do usually check your prior purchases, however Im not sure whether to bring it up before they have mentioned it. Does anyone have any advice for me?

 

[Fawkes Cat]

In January 2025, I bought a train ticket using a 16-25 saver railcard that didn't belong to me. I screenshotted a friends railcard and photoshopped my picture onto it, but didn't change the name. When taking the train I was approached by the revenue support team who asked to see my railcard, when I showed them they asked for ID to prove the card was my own. I panicked and said I had two names and wasnt currently carrying ID for the name I had on my railcard. I think they could quite obviously see through my lie and took a statement from me. I continued to lie, giving them my real name but my friends address. I dont really know what I was trying to achieve in this moment. They gave me a case reference and asked me to upload proof of ID on the thameslink railway website as soon as I could. I obviously could not do this but instead of following it up I just left it. Now, 2 months later I've received a notice of intention to prosecute. I'm quite freaked out by this and don't want a criminal record or to have to go to court. I've written a response in the hopes the company will understand that this was a moment of panic and that I truly have understood the importance of not lying. Please let me know what you think and any changes it may need!!


" I would like to begin by sincerely apologising for my decision to use a railcard that did not belong to me, to purchase a rail ticket. I now deeply regret this decision and understand the repercussions my actions have on Kings Cross Railway Services.

On the day that I purchased the rail ticket, using the 16-25 railcard belonging to someone else, I claimed it was my own and panicked when asked about it by the Revenue Protection Team. Foolishly, this caused me to lie, claiming that the railcard was mine although I had no supporting proof. This was a poor attempt to avoid being caught using a railcard that was not my own and I feel immense shame and embarrassment for my dishonesty.

I fully acknowledge this was not the right course of action and that using someone else's railcard was wrong. Despite my actions, I do understand the importance of honesty and integrity in this matter as well as the consequences my actions have on rail services. I understand that UK rail companies lose £240 million every year. I deeply regret my dishonest

Since this incident, I have purchased my own railcard as I have understood the importance of having my own and purchasing eligible tickets lawfully. I wish to assure you this type of selfish behaviour will not continue.

I hope you will take this letter into consideration when reviewing my case. I would be most grateful for the possibility of avoiding prosecution and coming to an out-of-court settlement. "

I have also bought tickets in the past with the 16-25 discount and I would be more than happy to repay the differences in fares to make up for this. Ive done a bit of research and it looks like they do usually check your prior purchases, however Im not sure whether to bring it up before they have mentioned it. Does anyone have any advice for me?

Welcome to the forum.
Broadly, I think your letter looks fairly good, but a couple of possible improvements:

- I'm not aware of anything called 'Kings Cross Railway Services'. It might be better to say 'Govia Thameslink Railway' (that's the name of the company) , or maybe the brand name of the train you were using (probably Thameslink or Great Northern)
- as you have now bought a railcard to avoid making the same mistake again, it might be worth including the railcard's serial number in the letter as evidence that you're telling the truth and really mean not to cheat again.

 

[furlong]

Did this letter come to your address or your friend's address?

 

[Haywain]

I deeply regret my dishonest

Your dishonest ... what?

I have purchased my own railcard as I have understood the importance of having my own and purchasing eligible tickets lawfully.

You should include the railcard number to verify this.

I have also bought tickets in the past with the 16-25 discount and I would be more than happy to repay the differences in fares to make up for this. Ive done a bit of research and it looks like they do usually check your prior purchases, however Im not sure whether to bring it up before they have mentioned it. Does anyone have any advice for me?

You've done a pretty good job above of holding your hands up to what you've been caught for, but you don't need to bring up matters that haven't been mentioned by GTR in their letter.

 

[Jigglybigglysi]

Hey may I ask have you heard back from the companies?

 

[Haywain]

Hey may I ask have you heard back from the companies?

Please keep your posts to your own thread.

 

[JEC2304]

Just to update this thread:
I received a response to my statement and fined £960, I then appealed this amount because as a student it wasn’t something i could visibly pay. They accepted my appeal and lowered the amount to £690 which I have now payed in full!!

Glad to be done with the whole thing and I have most certainly learnt my lesson!!

However I did receive a court summons a week ago saying I didn’t pay the original fine and must now plea in court. Clearly a clerical error as my case was officially closed and all debts payed. Will post an update when I hear back from the court. I wonder if anyone else has similar experience with this kind of mess up.

 

[Haywain]

However I did receive a court summons a week ago saying I didn’t pay the original fine and must now plea in court. Clearly a clerical error as my case was officially closed and all debts payed. Will post an update when I hear back from the court. I wonder if anyone else has similar experience with this kind of mess up.

You need to contact GTR to ensure that the summons has been withdrawn. The court has no power to unilaterally withdraw the summons.

 

[WesternLancer]

However I did receive a court summons a week ago saying I didn’t pay the original fine and must now plea in court. Clearly a clerical error as my case was officially closed and all debts payed. Will post an update when I hear back from the court. I wonder if anyone else has similar experience with this kind of mess up.

You need to take urgent action on this as Haywain suggests - and that is with the train company

You need to contact them (in writing e-mail ideally but if you are able to phone do that as well - then confirm what was agreed in any phone call in writing) - say you have received court papers despite paying the settlement offer - ask them to confirm they have withdrawn the court action, and ask them to confirm they have written to the court to tell the court that. Enclose your proof of payment and anything else that will help a member of staff at the railway prosecution office deal with the case quickly.

By all means also contact the court and tell them what has happened - eg enclose your settlement offer letter and proof of payment - but the court can't stop the process AIUI until the hear from the railway.

Be prepared to go to the court on the day you are being asked to plead if you do not get these confirmations. You can not ignore the court papers. If you ignore it it will just get into the process with a guilty verdict along with hundreds of others that day in the system. And getting that undone will be really complicated (may involve needing a solicitor etc at your cost) If you go to the court you would need to find the railway's prosecutor and show them the paperwork and the proof of your payment and get the prosecutor to withdraw it.

Get everything confirmed in writing.

We have seen this mess up happen before - I can't find the threads - but you don't have time to wait for someone who this has happened to to tell you what they did

If I have any of the above wrong hopefully someone more expert on this than me will correct it

Focus on contacting the railway company prosecutions department and mark your message urgent due to court date received despite making settlement payment

Good luck and keep us posted

 

[Haywain]

Be prepared to go to the court on the day you are being asked to plead if you do not get these confirmations

We would need to know whether it is actually a summons or a Single Justice Procedure Notice, but attending the court may not be necessary or even possible.

 

[Hadders]

I agree with everything @Haywain and @WesternLancer have said about this. Do not ignore the court papers or assume that it's sorted. You must contact GTR Prosecutions Department urgently to get this resolved.

If GTR don't withdraw the court case it will mean the case proceeds in your absence, you will be convicted and fined. Although this can be undone it is a major amount of faff to do so which in th emeantime leaves you with a criminal conviction.

You don't want that hassle!

 

[JoeyBandana]

Just a question - I thought GTR are more lenient. A circa £600 penalty seems very excessive form what I’ve seen on here before no?

 

[AlterEgo]

Just a question - I thought GTR are more lenient. A circa £600 penalty seems very excessive form what I’ve seen on here before no?

Not if you’ve been evading £600 worth of fares. They’re like anyone else, they want the evaded fares back. This was quite a blatant case of fraud.

 

[WesternLancer]

Just a question - I thought GTR are more lenient. A circa £600 penalty seems very excessive form what I’ve seen on here before no?

It’s not a penalty. It’s them asking for the fares you should have paid in the first place.

 

[JoeyBandana]

Oh I see, thanks for the clarification

 

[WesternLancer]

Oh I see, thanks for the clarification

Unfortunately you usually get no credit for anything you did pay or otherwise no one would pay the correct fare unless they got caught so there is an element of the punitive about it. Ie they charge it out at the maximum peak fare price.