Caught using freedom pass for just one day

[jo_see]

Hi,

 

I have read everything in this forum concerning misuse of freedom pass and how to appeal but my case is a bit different and i am unsure how to proceed.

A letter just came in today for me, requesting that i provide any exceptional reasons including evidence to support this, as to why TFL should not proceed with a prosecution.

 

I work as a support worker and i have been assigned to take my key service user out. Because i have had cases whereby i forgot to take either staff oyster card or the freedom card and get to realise on our way out, that normally causes me and my service user to return back to the office, i decided to put the cards together.

 

On Tuesday, my service user had requested for bread from the shop, I assured him of getting it just to make him happy once he's back from college. I decided to quickly leave the office leaving behind a colleague who's just recovering from a knee operation. Also, there were other service users to also attend to later in the day, but I thought i could quickly go and just be back before any other person needed something.

 

As soon as I got on the bus an inspector asked to see the card I tapped in with, which happened to be the freedom pass. Inspector asked for my work ID after i had explained everything to him but as a new staff who hasn't gotten an Id yet, he confiscated the freedom pass, asked me how i was going to return back then he gave me a Temporary Authority To Travel card (TATT).

 

Please,

i need every advice on how to get myself out of this nightmare as i have been panicking and shivering since i got the letter.

I was only just doing a bit of research and getting to understand that my offence was a criminal one.

For someone like me who is barely new in the country, i would never do anything to jeopardise the opportunity to be here in the country.

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

 

 

[dx100uk]

your issue is not something totally removed from most of the abuse of issued cards we see here already.

 

sad thing is you KNEW not to do it, now that doesn't mean you should get a criminal record, but i really hope you didn't admit you knew it was wrong to the inspector? if you did, sorry but it'll be hard for you to avoid a criminal record.

 

your best bet here IMHO is to somewhat rely upon your 'overall innocence' upon such laws being somewhat new to the country and our travel rules.

 

if this goes all the way to court, you need to state guilt and ask to attend court and plead directly to the judges better nature centred around the job you do and the obvious goodwill you overall do for your clients in your job as a whole. 

 

when's the 10days email time limit expiring.

this needs thought upon your begging letter and what you ACTUALLY stated to the inspector.

 

dx

 

[jo_see]

Thanks for the quick response.

 

The ten days would expire on 1st April.

 

Is it advisable to send an email with my work email address or my personal email address?

 

As evidence, should i include the receipt i got from the shop indicating that i had bought the bread?

Should i also include a picture of the staff oyster card including receipts of top ups in past weeks?

 

Please, how do i go about writing my letter? i can't think of anything due to me panicking.

 

I would appreciate if you could advice on other proofs i also could include in my mail please.

 

Thank you very much.

 

[dx100uk]

1 hour ago, jo_see said:

Is it advisable to send an email with my work email address or my personal email address? pers - its you not your employer going to court .

 

As evidence, should i include the receipt i got from the shop indicating that i had bought the bread? why? 

 

Should i also include a picture of the staff oyster card including receipts of top ups in past weeks? who pays this?

 

1 hour ago, dx100uk said:

but i really hope you didn't admit you knew it was wrong to the inspector?

 

 

[jo_see]

No, i didn't admit. I only just emphasised on trying to help my service user.

 

The shop receipt just to show proof that i actually went to the shop to get the bread. Staff are permitted to take money to top up the oyster from any service user that's been taken out for an activity.

 

I can't think of any evidences to attach apart from the ones above.

[dx100uk]

3 minutes ago, jo_see said:

Staff are permitted to take money to top up the oyster from any service user that's been taken out for an activity.

who's card, and can you evidence that TFL are aware and allow this payment scheme in their rules/T&C's.?
 

[jo_see]

Staff Oyster card used for a particular service user. What payment scheme?

 

Please, what do you advice?

[dx100uk]

is the way your staff card is paid authorised by TFL?

 

 

[jo_see]

I’m not sure about that.

[dx100uk]

ok well they probably wont know and p'haps are better that they dont know oystercards 'staff' use are funded by 'client fees'

you must obviously work in the private sector whereby your employer thinks it ok to charge your 'service user' whatever one of those is, for your staff travel...anyway lets not go there cause it smells bad to me and TFL will like it less. i wonder who legal rules they are operating under.

 

On 25/03/2023 at 22:28, jo_see said:

i decided to put the cards together.

 

was the 'staff' oystercard in the same wallet and had it credit available at the time of the said journey? 

 

if it did i cant see the need for 

On 25/03/2023 at 22:28, jo_see said:

he gave me a Temporary Authority To Travel card (TATT).

 

somethings in this story are not making sense to me or could it be your english is not that good.?

if a paid up oyster you could have used was in the same wallet, it should have been a simple opps wrong card , left at that and off you'd go?

 

your line:

On 25/03/2023 at 22:28, jo_see said:

but as a new staff who hasn't gotten an Id yet,

worries me too, are you saying that even though the 'staff' oystercard was in the wallet, you could prove you were legally allowed to use / have either of the cards upon your person?

and could have just found the wallet in his eyes?

 

dx