Blackburn rail fare dodgers in court named and shamed

They all appeared at Preston Magistrates’ Court last month, where they were handed big fines for trying to get away with dodging fares which cost as little as £2.50.

The first set of fare dodgers were up on November 1 to face punishment for their criminal behaviour.

Cyle Pool, 20, was fined £406.50 after trying to dodge a £2.50 fare from Mill Hill to Blackburn.

Pool, of Rockcliffe Street, Blackburn, was travelling to the town on May 24 when he failed to produce a ticket upon request. He was issued with a fine, but failed to pay it, so was taken to court.

The offence was found proven, and he was fined £220 and ordered to pay £150 costs, a victim surcharge of £34, and compensation of £2.50, for a total of £406.50, which had to be paid by November 29.

Next was Adam Alltree, 28, who failed to buy a £15.60 ticket from Rishton to Blackpool North on May 27, and never paid his on-the-spot fine.

Alltree, of Cambridge Street, Great Harwood, was fined £60 and told to pay £150 costs, a £34 victim surcharge, and compensation of £15.60, for a total amount – to be paid by November 29 – of £259.60.

Next up was Declan Hursy Beveridge, 19, of Bolton Road, Blackburn, who tried to travel from Preston to Blackburn on May 26, which carries a fare of £6.60, without buying a ticket.

The offence was found proven, and he was fined £220, ordered to pay costs of £150, a victim surcharge of £34 and compensation of £6.60, for a total amount of £410.60, to be paid by November 29.

Also in on November 1 was Joseph Melia, 18, of Danvers Street, Rishton, who tried to travel between Rose Grove and Rishton on May 23 without a ticket, which would have only cost him £4.70.

Unfortunately for him, he didn’t pay or respond to his penalty notice, so he has now been ordered to pay a a total of £408.70; £220 fine, £150 costs, £34 victim surcharge, and £4.70 compensation.

The final fare dodger up on November 1 was Ben Smith, 23, of Lynthorpe Road, Blackburn, who decided not to bother paying £6.10 for a ticket between Preston and Mill Hill on May 26, a costly mistake.

He was fined £220, and ordered to pay £150 costs, a £34 victim surcharge, and compensation of £6.10, for a total of £410.10, to be paid by November 29.

The next two fare dodgers were in court on November 14, where they also received hefty fines for choosing not to pay cheap train fares.

Louise Lingard, 26, of Darwen Street, Blackburn, didn’t pay her £10.90 fare to travel between Morecambe and Preston on April 18, and ignored her penalty notice.

She was fined £220, ordered to pay £150 costs, a £34 victim surcharge, and £10.90 compensation, for a total amount of £414.90, to be paid by December 12.

Also up was Ayodele Adebayo, 50, of Royshaw Avenue, Blackburn, who now has until December 12 to pay £410.60 after choosing not to bother buying a ticket between Preston and Blackburn on April 12, which would have only cost £6.60.

At court he was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs of £150, a victim surcharge of £34, and compensation of £6.60 after the charges against him were found proven.

Last but not least, in court on November 18, was 48-year-old John Mark Duckworth of Monmouth Road, Blackburn.

Duckworth opted not to pay £11.80 for his trip from Blackburn to Manchester Victoria on April 22, instead telling inspectors he had “lost it on the train”.

He was sent a letter asking him to pay the fare or provide proof of purchase, but he didn’t reply, so a penalty notice was sent, which he also didn’t reply to.

As a result, the charges of failing to produce a rail ticket on request were found proven, and he was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs of £85, a victim surcharge of £34, and compensation of £11.80, for a total amount of £350.80, to be paid by December 16.

It is estimated that fare evasion costs the rail industry over £200 million a year, which is why rail operators take fare evaders to court even if the fare not paid is only a couple of pounds.