Book a consultation with Samir 'Mr
Fare Evasion' Moftah for just £125.
If you receive a letter or court summons from a train company for fare evasion, it is very important to seek legal advice to resolve matters as you may be fined and/or receive a criminal conviction if found guilty.
We at Manak Solicitors understand that this will be an extremely anxious time in your life, especially with the threat of a criminal conviction which can impact on your employment and family life.
Samir Moftah is an experienced fare evasion solicitor having represented clients for many years who have received correspondence from a train company or their agent threatening prosecution. Samir has successfully secured out of court settlements for countless clients and has a good working relationship with prosecutors of various train companies. He is well placed to assess your case, advise on strategy and prospects of success.
We are able to have a 15-minute free discussion to establish that we can help you and to talk you through the next steps. Should you wish to proceed, we will provide you with a fixed fee for us to negotiate with the train company in an attempt to settle the matter. Should your matter be settled, this would resolve the matter without you receiving a criminal record.
Samir deals with every train company across England, but most frequently the following;
West Midlands Railways
Samir has represented many clients over the years who have received correspondence from Transport Investigations who act as agents on behalf of train companies such as Chiltern Railways.
We have dealt with a number of scenarios such as short tickets multiple times, expired railcards and cases where there are no tickets at all.
We are able to resolve matters out of court for clients and have a very good relationship with Transport Investigations.
All cases will be dealt with personally by Samir for you which will ensure you are advised correctly and that your case is undertaken in the best possible way. Equally, if you have been found guilty in your absence for fare evasion, we are able to assist you in re-opening a case and ensuring any conviction is set aside.
We're the experts in Fare Evasion. Here's your evidence.
If you are found guilty by a court or plead guilty, you will have a criminal conviction. However, not all train companies rely on the same laws to prosecute you, which can impact on you differently.
You will normally receive a letter from the train company asking for you to set out your mitigation. If they proceed with a prosecution, you will receive a court summons by post. This will either be a single justice procedure notice where you will have 21 days to plead guilty or not guilty, or you will receive a hearing date to attend court.
If you are prosecuted by a train company outside of TFL, such as Southeastern Railways or Govia Thameslink, you are likely to be charged under Regulation of Railways Act 1889. If you are found to be guilty of the offence or you plead guilty, this will give you a criminal record. This will appear on a DBS check both standard and enhanced.
If you are prosecuted by TFL, you are likely to be charged under railway byelaws. If you are found guilty or plead guilty, this will not appear on a standard DBS check but can appear on an enhanced check.
In most professional vocations, it will be a term in your contract of employment or staff handbook that you must disclose any criminal convictions. This will also be a requirement under most code of conducts if you have a regulatory membership. Should you disclose this, disciplinary proceedings are likely to proceed with a charge of gross misconduct which could result in dismissal.
Manak Solicitors can assist you in avoiding a conviction to minimise any impact on your life. You will find us to be understanding, have an eye for detail and well placed to consider your case and the best approach to take.
Contact Samir Moftah, our very experienced fare evasion solicitor who has assisted countless clients over many years.
Fare evasion is where an individual does not purchase a ticket for a journey or uses a card belonging to another or a discount card to which they are not entitled to. The most common scenarios we as lawyers come across is misusing a freedom pass, misusing a student discount card or only paying for part of a journey.
When you are a stopped by a travel inspector, they have the power to caution and interview you at the scene. If you do not comply with their requests, they are able to contact the British Transport Police to arrest you. They will confirm your identification.
You do not need to answer any questions apart from identifying yourself if you do not wish to do so, however, it is often best to comply with the process and be co-operative. The Railway company do have the powers to summons you to a criminal court for not having a valid ticket. This will be a prosecution carried out by them in a Magistrates Court. If found guilty by a court, you can be fined up to a £1,000 and receive a criminal record.
It is important to take fare evasion seriously as this can have a big impact on your home and work life.
We recommend that clients contact us as soon as they receive a letter or summons from the train company so that we can assist. We will be able to analyse and set out your legal position clearly, assess your mitigation and recommend a way forward in order to resolve your matter.
If an out of court settlement is agreed, this will avoid a criminal conviction and record. There is a real need to consider the train companies prosecution policy and assessing how your circumstances fit the policy. We will explore in depth with you your circumstances so that your best case is argued to obtain you a favourable outcome.
To have a criminal record for fare evasion, you must be found guilty of an offence or plead guilty at Court. This is done in various forms such as responding to a single justice procedure notice or pleading guilty in person at a court hearing.
Different rail providers bring different charges under different laws depending on the circumstances. There are two most common laws used when prosecuting that we say time and time again.
If you are charged under Regulation of Railways Act 1889 and are found guilty, you will have a criminal record for a year if you receive the typical sentence which would be a fine. How long a conviction remains on your record is governed by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, within England and Wales. This will appear on a standard and enhanced DBS check.
If you are found guilty or plead guilty under a Railway Bye law, this will result in a criminal record for a year if you have received a fine only. A Byelaw does not appear on standard DBS checks but can appear on an enhanced check. Most employers or regulatory bodies will require disclosure of a conviction in any event which can result in loss of employment or loss of the right to practise within certain careers.
When applying for a new job, you must carefully consider the question asked of you. Most employers will not require spent convictions to be disclosed, but in certain professions they will be required.
We would urge you to contact us to help you avoid a criminal record. You will find us sympathetic, knowledgeable and proactive. We will analyse your case and put together the best strategy for your case to give you the best chance of avoiding a conviction.
View our latest testimonials from real clients on Trustpilot.
We don't filter or cherry pick. What you see is what you get.
ible.Manak Solicitors is a trading name of Manak Lawyers Limited registered at Companies’ House in England & Wales Company Number: 09877015
Manak Lawyers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under SRA No. 627738, 628462 & 648124
Manak Lawyers Limited does not accept service by fax or email
Manak Solicitors is a trading name of Manak Lawyers Limited registered at Companies’ House in England & Wales Company Number: 09877015
Manak Lawyers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under SRA No. 627738, 628462 & 648124
Manak Lawyers Limited does not accept service by fax or email
Quote
