Railway Fare Evasion - Why You Should Always Buy a Valid Train Ticket
What are the consequences of a railway fare evasion, and what impact can it have on your future travel plans and employment prospects? Many people believe that failing to buy a railway ticket and subsequently travelling on a train does not amount to a criminal offense. People who travel regularly often see ticket barriers unmanned at quieter stations and may once make a genuine mistake when in a rush to travel and forget to buy a ticket. When they realise that they got away with it once, they might then try to do it again and again. At some point, however, they will be found not to have bought a ticket. Whilst it may have been true in the past that a ticket operator might turn a blind eye, the train companies have now started to realise the cost of this lost revenue. They have now invested heavily in automatic ticket barriers and will now take each offense of travelling without a ticket very seriously.
In addition to those that travel without a ticket at all, some travellers have been known to fraudulently design their own train tickets. Again, often the belief is that they are doing no harm and if they are caught they will simply be ordered to pay for a genuine season ticket. This is now not the case at all.
Train operators are taking railway fare evasion incredibly seriously. What’s more, a conviction for travelling without a valid train travel ticket is a criminal offense. Not only will a successful prosecution lead to a genuine criminal conviction, as it is a crime of dishonesty.
So What Should You Do?
Obviously the first and most sensible legal advice is always to buy a valid train travel ticket. If you make a genuine mistake and realise you have done so once you are on the train, find a conductor as soon as possible and explain your mistake and ask to pay for a ticket. Do not wait until you arrive at your destination unless there is no conductor on the train. The onus is on you to prove that you have attempted to buy a ticket, not on the train company to prove that you do not have a valid one, so you must make every effort to buy one.
If you have forgotten to do this for any reason and been caught, or you have manufactured your own train ticket, you must seek urgent legal advice. Early discussions and explanations with the train company might avoid a prosecution; If the British Transport Police become involved it is much harder to avoid.
What Are The Consequences Of A Conviction?
If you decide not to engage the help of a specialist solicitor, you may find that you are subsequently convicted of an offense. This is a criminal conviction for dishonesty with very serious consequences.
Employment
The conviction will have to be disclosed on every subsequent application for employment. It never becomes “spent” like a driving offense for say speeding, it will always have to be disclosed. If you apply for a job and are competing against other candidates with similar skills and qualifications as you hold, you may find the conviction for dishonesty weighs heavily against you.
Travel
The conviction will stop you entering certain countries completely. If you are convicted you will not be able to enter Australia or The U.S.A. to name the biggest countries and again this will last indefinitely.
With such serious consequences, the advice is always to ensure that you travel with a valid train ticket. If you find you have not done so, seek expert legal advice urgently.