Thank you for all your advice I am def going to be replying to the letter and saying sorry, offer to pay and let them know my monthly earnings ( I wont cry poverty the officer said this would help the consider cost) i wont say anything about payment plans and I would offer to pay full balance at once and give them all the information asked. I am aware that I would be convicted either way but I thought that the matter is dealt with a judge either way but if it is considered to be dealt with out of court you wouldn't get it marked on crb records. The idea of court seems very daunting and scary and am worried that it may lead to it - so I am going to try my hardest to stay out of it but as I said by reading similar post people seem to be going straight to court without reason and I wanted to know why this is case and how to avoid it. BOY I'VE LEARNT MY LESSON!!!

Hi Srpo Iam being told 2 very different things i do comprehend what you are saying, when the 1st letter comes i do intend to write back straight away and of course ask if i can make payment for all cost that I may have caused. The officer as i said was very nice and she explained to me that they would send a letter - she told me that by being answering all question etc. it would work in my favour. So it has been a very big shock to the system when reading and being told the complete opposite, at the time of using the card i honestly didnt know how serious this offence could of been and serious they take it anything i would of thought it was a £60 fne and that was it so alot of this am learning now Thank you for your advice

I am concerned that I have defraud the rail services - but if my crb is marked it may damage my career so am concerned about my well being. I know I have done wrong and I would be more than willing to pay them back even if it takes me months!!! I haven't got a problem with that at all and that is probably why it seems like that as I am not mentioning it as I know i've done! Thanks for your help am very grateful - maybe i should stop reading threads as I am mostly reading people saying that they wasnt given the chance to settle it out of court!

also is it less likely to go to court if I write them back to the 1st letter apologising - give advice of not working since what ever date etc. - and a bit of grovelling?? I would really want to get this settled as soon as possible and with as lil disruption as am still looking for work!! if you honestly feel that it it is highly unlikely for me to get the chance to pay out of court yo dont need to butter it. It just seems that no ones seems to get away with paying out of court

so in other words you think they will check the usage and prosecte me! I am 22yrs old, am currently looking or wk so if I find work I would be more tha happy to pay an aways have. By being made jobless so quikly an getting any payments from my redenucany, studyin part-time and paying for the course I havent go money at the moment - but I would more than willing to pay if they offer me a payment plan etc. I wil write a letter and explain them and say sorry but I suppose am struggling and not thinking. Am more worried about my CRB incase I need it for work purposes - I also find it strange that you can get caught drivin whilst on a phone which is a much serious matter as it may kill someone and it doest show up or go to court unless you agure. How long will something like this be put against you. Also does it take long to slove these matters?

sorry but if it is serious why wouldnt they prosecute me?? I am more worried about my enchanced CRB!!! Its jst been one thing after the another this couple of months!!

even if it doesnt go to court?

sorry i mean she wasn't a police officer and she had a badge that she showed me and i think it may have been a tfl one. The way she spoke to me I thought it would be easy and less likely to go out court if I admit and say am willing to pay its only since being on here I realised it is unlikely and more likely to go to court. How do they decide?

I know that he hasn't mention jail but reading out threads for advice I have seen other people mention jail. I came on to find out advice when writing my letter such as what info to write etc, but seems this has worried me even more. As my working in YOUTH SERVICES I have seen them turn people away because their CRB isn't fully clean. I would of throught it would of been best interest in mine and the tfl to keep this out of cost but reading threads again it seems like only a few have had the chance to deal out of court. And maybe my honesty at the time didnt do me much favours. Also if likely for them to check the whole history for the pass as i thought you would only be convicted for the travel cost for the journery they stopped you on? I was stopped at Notting Hill Gate the inspector was in uniform and wasnt an officer. When writing my letter to say am guilty should I include that I was out of work? Thanks for your help Kris

what was the outcome to this?

may i ask why you think i would get a conviction for this......if i have a convection surely it would damage my position in getting any job??? I didnt admit to using it regularly but I did admit to have using it when she pulled me up. The lady didn't say anything about me going to court when talking me thru what i should do but she did say that a letter will come asking about my current situation etc. Its only whilst I've been on this website I have seen people talking about jail, crb, court etc!!!!!

there wasn't a police officer there just a tfl ticket inspector. I am 22yrs old and am studying hairdressing - I know that this probably wouldn't matter in casse of a crb but I have been working in youth services as admin assist (well before I had to leave). So are you saying that it will show up on my CRB. Also my mum was unaware that I had the oyster card should I state this when I write them a letter???

Hi Al I have read some of the post on here for advice but thought it would be good for me to write my own as my story is a lil different. I was caught using my mum's freedom this evening - I recently I lost my job due to cuts so unexpectedly as I only had my job for 3months I got no pays out and I have been slowly been going in the red as I am also studying and was paying for my course - I finally got so part-time trainee unpaid work to keep me busy whilst looking for work but sadly couldnt afford to pay for the journey to and from. Because of pride and not wanting to be a charity case I took my mum's freedom pass to help me just until I got back on feet but sadly I seem to have gotten myself in more trouble. When speaking to the officer I explained that I hadnt told my mum that I had taken her pass and told her that I was a student. I am to the understanding that I would have to write a letter explaining my situation and pleading guilty for using the pass but would this really show up on my Enhanced CRB as it my damage my chances in getting a new job!!!! Thanks

Hi I am in the same problem - would this show on my enhanced CRB??