Latest news with #RegulationofRailwaysAct1889
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Yahoo
Prolific fare dodger ‘tried to avoid paying for train' on way to court
One of Britain's biggest fare dodgers, who owes £30,000 in unpaid fines for train fare evasion, was allegedly stopped without a ticket on the morning of his court appearance. Charles Brohiri has been caught without a train ticket at almost every station across the Thameslink, Southern and Greater Northern network. He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' court on Wednesday afternoon to be sentenced for 36 counts of travelling on a railway without paying, having previously been convicted in absentia. Despite promoting himself on social media as the rapper Rvre Dean, the 28-year-old told the court he was homeless, owned no mobile phone and could only access the internet through public libraries. Gareth Ring, prosecutor for Thameslink, told magistrates: 'At 8.16 this morning, Mr Brohiri was stopped on one of our trains without a valid ticket.' Mr Ring handed the magistrates a dossier which he said contained details of 180 previous instances where Brohiri had been caught without a ticket at Thameslink stations or aboard its trains. The prosecutor added that the 28-year-old 'owes the court an awful lot of money'. An arrest warrant against Brohiri for over £30,015 in unpaid court fines was issued in February. This is three times higher than the previous record for a rail fare evasion fine, which was issued for £10,000 last year in southern Essex against an unnamed defendant. Although rail offenders have voluntarily paid back higher sums as an alternative to prosecution, it is unusual for fines of more than a few hundred pounds to be issued for fare evasion. Greater Anglia announced in 2019 that it had secured the imprisonment of Stefan Jaworski, then 37, of Rayleigh in Essex after he was caught evading train fares on some 55 occasions. Although the Regulation of Railways Act 1889 allows offenders to be imprisoned for a 'second or subsequent offence' of fare evasion, the power – which allows sentences of up to three months – is very rarely used. The huge number of charges and convictions Brohiri has racked up sheds fresh light on the controversial private prosecution system for fare evasion. Criminal cases brought against train passengers over fare discrepancies as small as £1.90 triggered a public scandal last year. It ended with 75,000 wrongfully-brought fare evasion cases being nullified by the Chief Magistrate amid public concern that train company bosses were misusing a law dating back to Queen Victoria's reign as an extra revenue stream. All of those fines are now being repaid to wrongly-convicted defendants. Meanwhile, cases such as Brohiri's continue progressing through the courts. Judges heard that he was arrested by police and brought to court on March 30 before he was bailed to reappear for sentencing. The court heard that since then, he had been spoken to 13 times without a valid ticket. Julie Mills, presiding, was told that Brohiri 'clearly disregarded whatever happened in March' and continued to board Thamselink trains. Brohiri, who had repeatedly said to Thameslink over the past year that he lived at an address on Cloverland, Hatfield, told the court that he has been homeless since 2019. An online profile on a music website states: 'Caleb Lewis Brohiri, better known by his stage name, Rvre Dean, hails from Croydon, south London.' According to the L-Hit website, the would-be rapper recorded a single in 2019, but the profile added: 'Before the single's release however, trials and tribulations surfaced which left a big mark on Dean since then.' When asked how he supported himself without a job, Brohiri claimed to have been living 'a bit crazy' of a lifestyle, saying: 'Sometimes people give me money, or I go charities, I go a few places and whatnot and I just go there to get food… like Pret and these places, I just go there.' In court, he was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt, plain black trousers, clean black Puma trainers with white detailing and a black hat. Mr Ring asked him: 'Mr Brohiri, you're clearly well-presented appearance-wise. Did the charity give you help here?' He replied: 'Nah, these are, like, some things I had.' Brohiri's sentencing has been adjourned to August 20, pending probation reports. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
03-05-2025
- Telegraph
Prolific fare dodger ‘tried to avoid paying for train' on way to court
One of Britain's biggest fare dodgers, who owes £30,000 in unpaid fines for train fare evasion, was allegedly stopped without a ticket on the morning of his court appearance. Charles Brohiri has been caught without a train ticket at almost every station across the Thameslink, Southern and Greater Northern network. He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' court on Wednesday afternoon to be sentenced for 36 counts of travelling on a railway without paying, having previously been convicted in absentia. Despite promoting himself on social media as the rapper Rvre Dean, the 28-year-old told the court he was homeless, owned no mobile phone and could only access the internet through public libraries. Gareth Ring, prosecutor for Thameslink, told magistrates: 'At 8.16 this morning, Mr Brohiri was stopped on one of our trains without a valid ticket.' Mr Ring handed the magistrates a dossier which he said contained details of 180 previous instances where Brohiri had been caught without a ticket at Thameslink stations or aboard its trains. The prosecutor added that the 28-year-old ' owes the court an awful lot of money '. Three times higher than previous record An arrest warrant against Brohiri for over £30,015 in unpaid court fines was issued in February. This is three times higher than the previous record for a rail fare evasion fine, which was issued for £10,000 last year in southern Essex against an unnamed defendant. Although rail offenders have voluntarily paid back higher sums as an alternative to prosecution, it is unusual for fines of more than a few hundred pounds to be issued for fare evasion. Greater Anglia announced in 2019 that it had secured the imprisonment of Stefan Jaworski, then 37, of Rayleigh in Essex after he was caught evading train fares on some 55 occasions. Although the Regulation of Railways Act 1889 allows offenders to be imprisoned for a 'second or subsequent offence' of fare evasion, the power – which allows sentences of up to three months – is very rarely used. The huge number of charges and convictions Brohiri has racked up sheds fresh light on the controversial private prosecution system for fare evasion. Criminal cases brought against train passengers over fare discrepancies as small as £1.90 triggered a public scandal last year. It ended with 75,000 wrongfully-brought fare evasion cases being nullified by the Chief Magistrate amid public concern that train company bosses were misusing a law dating back to Queen Victoria's reign as an extra revenue stream. All of those fines are now being repaid to wrongly-convicted defendants. Meanwhile, cases such as Brohiri's continue progressing through the courts. Judges heard that he was arrested by police and brought to court on March 30 before he was bailed to reappear for sentencing. The court heard that since then, he had been spoken to 13 times without a valid ticket. Claims of homelessness dismissed Julie Mills, presiding, was told that Brohiri 'clearly disregarded whatever happened in March' and continued to board Thamselink trains. Brohiri, who had repeatedly said to Thameslink over the past year that he lived at an address on Cloverland, Hatfield, told the court that he has been homeless since 2019. An online profile on a music website states: 'Caleb Lewis Brohiri, better known by his stage name, Rvre Dean, hails from Croydon, south London.' According to the L-Hit website, the would-be rapper recorded a single in 2019, but the profile added: 'Before the single's release however, trials and tribulations surfaced which left a big mark on Dean since then.' When asked how he supported himself without a job, Brohiri claimed to have been living 'a bit crazy' of a lifestyle, saying: 'Sometimes people give me money, or I go charities, I go a few places and whatnot and I just go there to get food… like Pret and these places, I just go there.' In court, he was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt, plain black trousers, clean black Puma trainers with white detailing and a black hat. Mr Ring asked him: 'Mr Brohiri, you're clearly well-presented appearance-wise. Did the charity give you help here?' He replied: 'Nah, these are, like, some things I had.'
The Independent
29-01-2025
- The Independent
Hundreds of rail fare evasion prosecutions quashed
Scores more prosecutions brought by three rail firms for alleged fare evasion have been quashed. Northern Rail, TransPennine Express (TPE) and Great Western Railway (GWR) brought dozens of prosecutions against passengers using the controversial single justice procedure (SJP) despite not being permitted to do so. More than 500 prosecutions were declared null and void by Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring during a three-minute hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. Mr Goldspring ruled on August 15 last year that the cases should be declared 'void' and any fines paid should be 'reconciled'. Thousands of these cases have already been quashed and Mr Goldspring said this should be the final hearing to deal with such prosecutions. More than 350 Northern cases, 180 TPE cases and 36 GWR cases were declared a nullity at the hearing, meaning it is as if the proceedings never existed. 'I plan to say what I have said previously in accordance with my ruling on August 15 that these cases should not have been brought,' Mr Goldspring told the court. 'Any reconciliation in relation to fines is between the Courts and Tribunals Service and the prosecuting railway companies.' Rigorous enforcement against deliberate fare evasion, abuse, and violence will continue Northern spokesman A separate argument in relation to penalty fare appeals is set to be brought to court soon, the Chief Magistrate said. The SJP was set up in 2015 to allow magistrates to decide on minor offences, such as using a television without a licence or driving without car insurance, without defendants going to court. Rail companies were permitted to use the SJP in 2016 to privately prosecute fare evaders but many have been brought under the Regulation of Railways Act 1889, which is not allowed under the procedure. Other cases were also prosecuted by Avanti West Coast, Greater Anglia, Arriva Rail Northern, Merseyrail and C2C, the Courts and Tribunals Service said. Northern, which operates trains across large swathes of northern England, said it is reviewing its approach to enforcing ticketing and said it has temporarily suspended certain prosecutions while the review is carried out. A Northern spokesman added: 'We remain firmly committed to tackling fare evasion and protecting taxpayers' money. Anyone who travels without a valid ticket can be asked to pay the fare in full, issued with a penalty fare or contacted to provide further evidence to settle the matter out of court. We always take into account any evidence provided or mitigating circumstances. 'Northern has already commenced a review of its approach to enforcing ticketing, recognising that there are circumstances where the rules on ticketing may not be understood by passengers. We have also temporarily suspended certain prosecutions whilst its review is undertaken. 'Rigorous enforcement against deliberate fare evasion, abuse and violence will continue.'
Sky News
29-01-2025
- Sky News
Hundreds of train fare evasion cases quashed after unlawful prosecutions
Hundreds of people have had their train fare evasions quashed after they were prosecuted unlawfully. The cases were the last 500 to be declared void after a judge ruled last year that railway operators were not allowed to use the controversial single justice procedure (SJP). Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring's ruling in August paved the way for thousands of train fare evasion prosecutions to be quashed. The SJP was introduced in 2015 to allow magistrates to rule on minor offences - such as watching TV without a licence or driving without insurance - without the defendant being present in court. They were extended to private rail fare evasion prosecutions in 2016 - but many train companies have used them citing the Regulation of Railways Act 1889, which they are not permitted to do. In a three-minute hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday, Mr Goldspring quashed 350 Northern cases, 180 TransPennine Express cases, and 36 Great Western Railway cases. He said it should be the final hearing dealing with these kinds of prosecutions - after more than 28,000 were quashed in November. Rail firms who have also seen their cases dropped include Avanti West Coast, Greater Anglia, Arriva Rail Northern, Merseyrail, and C2C. "These cases should not have been brought," Mr Goldspring told the court. "Any reconciliation in relation to fines is between the Courts and Tribunals Service and the prosecuting railway companies." Threats of prosecution over £1.85 Engineering graduate Sam Williamson told the Sky News Money blog in October last year of his SJP ordeal. He says he was threatened with prosecution by Northern Rail after he mistakenly bought an invalid £3.65 ticket using his 16-25 railcard. The full price ticket was £5.50 - £1.85 more. Mr Williamson used the ticket to board a train just after 7am, not realising that under the fine print of the railcard terms his ticket was invalid. A minimum fare of £12 applies to any ticket bought with a railcard before 10am. Northern dropped its action against him following media coverage. Northern, which operates trains across northern England, said it is reviewing its approach to enforcing ticketing and said it has temporarily suspended certain prosecutions while the review is carried out. A spokesman added: "We remain firmly committed to tackling fare evasion and protecting taxpayers' money. Anyone who travels without a valid ticket can be asked to pay the fare in full, issued with a penalty fare or contacted to provide further evidence to settle the matter out of court. We always take into account any evidence provided or mitigating circumstances.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Yahoo
Hundreds of train fare evasion cases quashed after unlawful prosecutions
Hundreds of people have had their train fare evasions quashed after they were prosecuted unlawfully. The cases were the last 500 to be declared void after a that railway operators were not allowed to use the controversial single justice procedure (SJP). Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring's ruling in August paved the way for thousands of train fare evasion prosecutions to be quashed. The SJP was introduced in 2015 to allow magistrates to rule on minor offences - such as watching TV without a licence or driving without insurance - without the defendant being present in court. They were extended to private rail fare evasion prosecutions in 2016 - but many train companies have used them citing the Regulation of Railways Act 1889, which they are not permitted to do. In a three-minute hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday, Mr Goldspring quashed 350 Northern cases, 180 TransPennine Express cases, and 36 Great Western Railway cases. He said it should be the final hearing dealing with these kinds of prosecutions - after more than 28,000 were quashed in November. Read more from Sky News: Rail firms who have also seen their cases dropped include Avanti West Coast, Greater Anglia, Arriva Rail Northern, Merseyrail, and C2C. "These cases should not have been brought," Mr Goldspring told the court. "Any reconciliation in relation to fines is between the Courts and Tribunals Service and the prosecuting railway companies." Threats of prosecution over £1.85 Engineering graduate Sam Williamson told the in October last year of his SJP ordeal. He says he was threatened with prosecution by Northern Rail after he mistakenly bought an invalid £3.65 ticket using his 16-25 railcard. The full price ticket was £5.50 - £1.85 more. Mr Williamson used the ticket to board a train just after 7am, not realising that under the fine print of the railcard terms his ticket was invalid. A minimum fare of £12 applies to any ticket bought with a railcard before 10am. Northern dropped its action against him following media coverage. Northern, which operates trains across northern England, said it is reviewing its approach to enforcing ticketing and said it has temporarily suspended certain prosecutions while the review is carried out. A spokesman added: "We remain firmly committed to tackling fare evasion and protecting taxpayers' money. Anyone who travels without a valid ticket can be asked to pay the fare in full, issued with a penalty fare or contacted to provide further evidence to settle the matter out of court. We always take into account any evidence provided or mitigating circumstances. "Rigorous enforcement against deliberate fare evasion, abuse, and violence will continue."
