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Chris from Nailsea
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« on: February 15, 2011, 16:17:19 » |
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From the BTP▸ press release: A 44-year-old City of London IT worker caught buying ^short tickets^ for more than four years following a British Transport Police (BTP) investigation, has had to pay out more than ^9,000.
Anka Gostovic, of Cameron Drive, Waltham Cross, appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates^ Court on Monday, 7 January, after she was charged with one count of fraud by false representation.
During the proceedings the court heard that at the end of 2010, National Express East Anglia^s (NXEA▸ ) fraud department began to look into Gostovic^s activities after it was discovered that she had been buying monthly season tickets valid between Liverpool Street and Hackney Downs stations, but was travelling to Waltham Cross.
Investigating officer, PC Amanda Humphrey, said: ^Ticket office staff provided a CCTV▸ still of Gostovic and at the beginning of November, staff from NXEA^s fraud department stopped her at Liverpool Street station. Gostovic produced her ticket, which allowed her to travel between Hackney Downs and Liverpool Street stations, before admitting that she had travelled from Waltham Cross and had been avoiding the fare between Hackney Downs and Waltham Cross for more than a year.^
NXEA then liaised with BTP^s Ticket Fraud Squad, who arrested Gostovic for fraud by false representation with which she was charged in December 2010.
The investigation showed that Gostovic had lived in Watham Cross since 2005 and had bought short season tickets from July 2006 to October 2010.
Before sentencing on Monday, 7 January, Gostovic paid back NXEA ^4,300 but the court decided to issue a further ^5,000 fine, as well as ordering her to pay ^200 in costs.
PC Humphrey added: ^This is the first time Gostovic had been in trouble with the police but considering the amount of time she had been defrauding the railway industry, we had no choice but to pursue criminal charges against her. This is major fraud. ^9,000 is a substantial amount and hopefully this will serve as a strong deterrent to those who may be tempted to commit similar fraud.^
Alan Perry National Express East Anglia^s Head of Revenue Protection said: "We welcome this successful prosecution and substantial fine which sends a strong message that fraud will not be tolerated. We will continue to work closely with the BTP in taking a proactive stance to managing instances of ticketless and fraudulent travel."
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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ChrisB
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« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2011, 16:22:37 » |
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I wonder if the fine would have been any greater if she hadn't refunded the TOC▸ ? She may have paid more than she had to!
(Is this FGW▸ territory though?)
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2011, 16:26:00 » |
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No, not FGW▸ in this particular case - but I decided to post it here as the same rules apply to all tickets, irrespective of TOC▸ .  |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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inspector_blakey
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« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2011, 16:33:38 » |
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From the BTP▸ press release: During the proceedings the court heard that at the end of 2010, National Express East Anglia^s (NXEA▸ ) fraud department began to look into Gostovic^s activities after it was discovered that she had been buying monthly season tickets valid between Liverpool Street and Hackney Downs stations, but was travelling to Waltham Cross.
Call me a wooly-minded liberal if you like, but there's a nasty hint of "Big Brother" surveillance about this. Obviously I don't condone for a second the fraud that was taking place, but how on earth does a TOC▸ legitimately "discover" where a passenger is going to? Did she pick up a couple of penalty fares there or were they following her home? |
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2011, 16:40:12 » |
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A reminder of how having barriers at the major stations is all well and good, but also needs to be backed up with regular checks on the trains by revenue staff or guards/TM‡'s when travel from or to stations that have no barriers (such as Waltham Cross) are involved.
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To view my GWML▸ Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/ |
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ChrisB
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« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2011, 16:44:23 » |
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I suspect someone tipped them off that she was travelling long.
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Electric train
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« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2011, 19:52:00 » |
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Or it could be that if there are ticket barriers at Hackney Down the TOC▸ might run a check to see if tickets go through, her tickets probably never went though the Hackney Downs barriers
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Starship just experienced what we call a rapid unscheduled disassembly, or a RUD, during ascent,”
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2011, 20:31:30 » |
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No barriers at either station according to the National Rail website.
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To view my GWML▸ Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/ |
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Ollie
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« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2011, 23:16:31 » |
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Season tickets valid for a month or longer get logged to my knowledge - so I would assume they would have that record of her tickets.
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Brucey
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« Reply #9 on: February 16, 2011, 07:57:47 » |
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I'm still amazed how the BTP▸ /NXEA▸ managed to catch her (unless she repeatedly asked to buy a ticket on the train)
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Tim
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« Reply #10 on: February 16, 2011, 08:57:34 » |
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Well the report states that she admitted travelling short for more than a year. Perhaps that was a foolish thing for her to have done.
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JayMac
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« Reply #11 on: February 16, 2011, 10:33:07 » |
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Travelling short would not have been an issue. She persistently travelled long.
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"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
- Sir Terry Pratchett.
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Tim
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« Reply #12 on: February 16, 2011, 11:01:12 » |
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Travelling short would not have been an issue. She persistently travelled long.
yes. My mistake. Reminds me of the Old Les Dawson joke - " My mother-in-law is so thick, she thought was defauding British Rail - she brought a return ticket and didn't come back" |
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argg
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« Reply #13 on: February 16, 2011, 13:32:15 » |
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I'm still amazed how the BTP▸ /NXEA▸ managed to catch her (unless she repeatedly asked to buy a ticket on the train)
Still took 4 years though. This must be going on a lot. In 4 years of travelling from Twyford (no barriers) to London I've had my ticket checked on the train only a handful of times, and then usually if travelling during the day rather than at peak times. I know there's no money to pay for it but surely an oyster style season ticket with (at least) touch in/out pads at every station would work (don't touch out - full fare to Penzance charged!!). |
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