It was the first day back at work after the New Year, and I hadn’t slept the night before and was dazed all day. I remember having a ticket for Bicester Village to Oxford (paper), and I believe that I disposed of this (single) once I’d got to work – in regard to why I hadn’t purchased a ticket from Bicester Village to Didcot Parkway there and then is because I often forget to do this and end up buying multiple passes for the journey, due to lack of sleep.
Of which, by the time I got to Oxford, between breaks in trains (and without going through the barriers), I went on the GWR app to purchase tickets for the rest of the journey, Oxford to Didcot Parkway. In a moment of stupidity, and without foolishly checking what I was buying, I ended up buying a return from Appleford to Didcot Parkway (as Appleford was in my drop down of options), instead of the needed Oxford to Didcot Parkway, which I can see appears convenient. I did not realise my mistake until I was stopped by the RPI later in the afternoon on the train back to Oxford from Didcot Parkway, as the ticket had indeed got me through the barriers at Didcot Parkway station in the morning, and in the afternoon the barriers were open when I walked into the station for some reason and a ticket wasn’t required, which could have been a natural time for me to realise my gross mistake.
When talking to the RPI I admitted my mistake, apologised, and offered to purchase the correct ticket, but was not allowed to. I was also willing to purchase the last required ticket from Oxford to Bicester Village in front of him to show good will, but he instead gave me a blank ticket with no value for the journey back, of which he gave no explanation for this. During our talk he introduced himself as an RPI, asked for my details, which I gave willingly, but I have no recollection of him ever stating that this was an ‘interview under caution’ or explaining what was happening, specifically. Instead, we parted ways with him saying that he was going to write this up and submit it to the prosecutions department, but that he thought that this wasn’t the only time I’d done this, and that I had been short faring with intent. However, in the notes that he wrote, and which I signed, this theory was not mentioned, and only that day’s incident had been recorded and detailed.
I suffer from depression and anxiety, and was stood there all the while having a full blown anxiety attack, so I am admittedly not 100% sure what was said on either side. To the point where, there is another street nearby who’s postcode gets mixed up with mine, so I ran to that house last night in case my letter goes to that house by mistake to provide my contact details, as I can’t remember which postcode I gave (both are valid), but know that I got my house number correct. I’m now starting to doubt myself about whether I have accidentally done this before out of habit and lack of sleep, as he made such a compelling case.
Will I only be reported based on what he wrote and I signed? Or is he allowed to put forth his theory when writing it up without my knowledge? I am completely remorseful, mortified, ashamed, and just generally disappointed in myself that I have allowed myself to jeopardize my good name, my record, my job etc. and will learn from this harsh reality that I have put myself in – I take full responsibility and can only promise to be more diligent in future.