Notice of intention to prosecute - Thameslink

[Andra Andra]

Hi everyone, 

 

I had read a thread on the same topic and noticed you guys offered useful advice!

 

I have received a notice of intention to prosecute from Thameslink.

I have 14 days to reply and unfortunately they took out any phone number that I can call.

I read also on other forums that in the past there was a phone number displayed.

Most of the stories finished with paying fee.

No criminal record, no jail. 

 

They have changed.

I can only reply in writing.

English is not my native language.

 

Let me tell you what happened but posting the letter I would like to ask help in drafting.

Can I private message anyone?

Is it sill allowed to do this without risking that someone from the company will see this and use it against me?

 

Few words...

I was feeling ill,

was travelling from Lonton to Luton Airport Parkway back home to be seen by my dentist.

I do not live in London.

I was used to use Oyster.

 

I used Oyster when I was in a train station in London (forgot the name as I do not live in London).

The gates opened and I thought this is my ticket.

I jumped in the train which got me to Luton Airport Parkway where I was stopped by a ticket inspector,

told Oyster is not working, and Luton is outside of London.

I need to pay a ticket.

 

I could not believe my ears.

I did not pay the ticket or the fee and was issued an NIP.

I was feeling ill and not able to judge the situation I was in.

 

Doing my studies here and will leave home in December.

I do not want to he hold on in the country and not being able to fly back home or be forced to come in the UK to go to Court...

 

Any help, please?

Massive thanks!

 

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG.

 

I've moved your thread to our public transport forum, people should be along to help later.

 

Best, HB

[BankFodder]

They won't force you to go to court.

From the look of your post, your English is perfectly good enough to deal with this. I think you should write immediately in your own words – even if the English is not perfect and explain your situation but most importantly be completely honest and open about what happened and also make it very clear that it won't ever happen again and you will be more careful in the future.

Point out to them that if they do want you to go to court that you are an overseas national and although you have every intention to cooperate with them, there are certain dates where you wouldn't be available. Give them the dates

[Andra Andra]

Hello! Thank you for your reply!

 

I was wondering if I can post the letter here or privately sent to everyone. It is a complicated story and I wrote 2 pages and a bit and currently trying to reduce it in one page and a half.

 

I have read the constant advice not to waffle! Not sure what that means, I guess to take out unnecessary details. The thing is that I was filled in a form to for the prosecution team after I told the ticket inspector, almost crying, that 'I feel you are stealing money from me'. This after I saw on the app that the ticket was 10 pounds and he was asking for 20. I asked to see a regulation (as a good researcher that I am, d'oh! ) and got infuriated (and insulted). Now, in the letter it is written just 

On the above date you were spoken to in regard to the following alleged offence(s)

- that you on X date did enter a train for the purpose of travelling on the railway, and upon inspection at Luton Airport Parkway did not produce a valid ticket

 

The problem is that I do not know if I should pick up on this as well and how to make this letter short. Another issue is that after I reached Luton Airport I called the railway company to issue a complaint that he was aggressive. I was not aware that prosecution means legal action and when the inspector asked me if I want to be prosecuted (or something similar) I translated as 'complaint' and said yes...

 

I am not sure if I can withdraw the complaint now after NIP was out. Since I do not see anything written on the letter I was sent I was thinking to just write about my lack of knowledge and illness that made communication hard.

 

[BankFodder]

Well it's best not to go on too much. If you can keep it to a single side of A4 then that will be better but if you were rude to them then I think that you should probably explain that you are shocked and distressed and so you realise that you had a bad attitude of the time that you apologise for it now.

[honeybee13]

To add to what BankFodder said, it's hardly ever a good idea to criticise the staff. I would leave that part out of your statement.

 

HB

[BazzaS]

A further key issue here is that the OP seems to have been offered a penalty fare, and declined it.

 

OP should stress that they didn’t fully understand, together with their misunderstanding regarding “complaint” and “prosecution”. They should certainly mention that they are intending to leave the country soon, and offer:

a) apologies to the rail staff

b) a promise to never undertake ticketless travel, both in their home country, and if they return to the UK in future, and

c) to pay any fares owed and administrative costs.

[Andra Andra]

Thank you all for your replies!

 

BazzaS, yes, I was offered a penalty fare, and I did not understand what that is, and he pointed to something where it was written 45 pounds, which scared me even more. Yes, I declined. After that he said to write a prosecution file with my details and silly enough to that one I said yes. Why? I cound't judge anymore what was happening!

 

I will try to make it short to one page an a half. Is it ok to post it here, perhaps, for your feedback?

[honeybee13]

Yes, you can post up what you plan to send to TfL and we'll help you.

 

It's better to keep to one page as BF said.

 

HB

[Andra Andra]

Dear all, 

 

This is my letter. I attach the Word file. It has one page and a half and not sure how to reduce it...I would be so grateful if you have any suggestions. Huge thanks!

 

'

Prosecutions Department

Eastside Offices 

Kings Cross Railway Station

London N1C 4AX

Fax: 0330 095 6054

30^thSeptember 2019

Reference: xxxxx

 

To Whom It May Concern, 

 

I apologise for travelling on the railway without a valid ticket as I had no intention of travelling free. On the 17^thof June 2019 I travelled from Southampton Central Station to London Waterloo and from London to Luton Airport Parkway. As I do not live in London, I do not remember anymore the name of the specific train station I left London. However, as far as I remember it was London West Hampstead station. At this station, I thought that the Oyster card was my valid ticket for several reasons. Firstly, after I validated the Oyster card the gates opened and entered in the station. Before I validated my Oyster card on the touch pad, I had loaded it with 10 pounds just to make sure I would pass the gates. Secondly, perhaps being in a hurry to catch the train, I saw no indication that in order to travel with a train to Luton Airport Parkway I need a valid train ticket different than the Oyster card. Thirdly, I was not aware that Luton Airport Parkway is geographically located outside of London. Therefore, I boarded in good faith in the train which got me to Luton Airport Parkway. 

 

Due to all the misinformed knowledge I had, when the ticket inspector explained me the reasons for which I needed to pay a valid ticket, which was about 20 GPB, I found myself very confused. I suddenly felt shocked and anxious. On the top of that, I was in physical pain, felt ill and stressed and I processed very slow all the sudden information I was offered. I had been suffering from a painful ear infection and a tooth pain for more than a month, both on the right part of my head. The infection had been continuously causing the sensation of ‘blocked head’ affecting my capacities to think sharply and hear. I was being under treatment for the ear infection from my GP, and I was on my way home to be checked by my dentist as well.

 

I got psychologically blocked in front of the inspector who filled in a prosecution form. Before filling in this form I was indeed offered to pay a penalty fare but I did not fully understand what does that mean reason why I declined. As English is not my native language I was not even aware that the word ‘prosecution’ meant legal action. The series of misunderstandings and my illness did not support a fruitful discussion between me and the ticket inspector who seemed irritated by my being lost and shocked and to whom I apologise again for any inconvenience I created. While the ticket inspector was filling in the form I started to understand that this might be problematic and offered to pay the ticket price but I was declined. 

 

In order to show cooperation and willingness to solve this without taking it to the Court, I offer my sincere apologises to both the Kings Cross Railway station and to the Revenue Protection Inspector. I am also offering to write an official apology letter to the Kings Cross Railway Station. I have never been previously reported for travelling without a valid ticket and I am more than happy to pay immediately the cost of the ticket and any other reasonably costs associated with this. I will certainly be more aware in the future not to undertake ticketless travel, both in my home country and if I return back to the UK! 

 

I also mention that I finish my studies in December and I already arranged my return back in December. I do have all my intention to cooperate with you but I am not in the country after the 9^thof December. 

 

Yours sincerely, 

XXXX'

Edited September 30, 2019 by Andra Andra

[dx100uk]

hey that's not bad at all..good show

 

poss needs a bit of thinning out and tightening up to focus on the main issues.

 

question..how long have been in the UK.

roughly..how many times have you travelled for want of a better word 'outside' of your normal day to day train route/useage?

[Andra Andra]

Hi! Thank you very much dx100uk! 

I have been living here since 3 years now and will finish my PhD in December. Funny enough, even if I have been living and studying here I could not translate some of these new legal words in my native tounge. Silly me! 

 

I am still editing the letter and go back and forth between these paragraphs. 

 

I am sorry But I have not understood your last question?

 

[dx100uk]

in your 3yrs in the uk

how manyt ime have you travelled on the train to other destinations not within the oyster scheme?

in other words ...where you even aware you needed a different kind of 'ticket' to do so?

 

dx

 

[Andra Andra]

Oh, yes I had travelled before in the country and I know about the yellow paper tickets. Yes, I do know about them! However, I mostly  travelled from Heathrow or Southampton Airport  I had no problems. 

 

I remember I also did travel from Luton Airport and I had no problems at the Luton Airport Parkway but I had before the yellow ticket. This was 3 years ago. I did not know I needed the paper ones making the Oyster card the equivalent to a travel trip in my mind (since you top it up) as I thought Luton is a suburb of London. 

Edited September 30, 2019 by Andra Andra

[dx100uk]

well they do call luton airport London luton airport now I think.

 

 

[Andra Andra]

Yes, they do, also their wenbsite has the word London on it. 

https://www.london-luton.co.uk

 

I hope everything will go find and they will not take it to the Court!