Fare dodger who tried avoiding buying £10 train ticket given big penalty by court
A woman who tried avoiding to pay a full train fare by using a railcard she then couldn't produce has been ordered to pay more than £460 at court.
Gabrielle Ward travelled from Macclesfield to Stafford on December 2 last year without spending £10.70 on the required fare.
North Cheshire Magistrates Court was told last Wednesday that the 35-year-old produced an off-peak day return ticket from Macclesfield to Stoke on Trent with a JobCentre Plus discount card, and had another ticket onwards to her hometown of Stafford.
The court was told: "When asked to produce the railcard she advised that she had lost it. Her details were obtained and she was advised the facts would be reported. Following the incident a letter was sent to the defendant requesting an explanation, as there was no response, a Fixed Penalty Notice was then sent. However this remains unpaid."
The case against Ward, from Wirhin Lane, Stafford, was proved in her absence and she was convicted of travelling on the railway without paying a fare.
She was fined £220 and ordered to pay compensation of £10.70, an £88 surcharge and costs of £150, leaving her with a final bill of £468.70.
