Watford fare dodgers ordered to pay over £3,700 in court

The court files show how residents have been found liable for often hundreds of pounds more than the actual ticket price in fines, prosecution costs and compensation after they were found guilty by magistrates in their absence. 

In one case, a 32-year-old man was ordered to shell out £559.75 after he was found guilty of failing to show a ticket worth £1.75 while on a Transport for London bus.

Read the list below:

Cerys Richards

Cerys Richards, of Rickmansworth Road, was charged with travelling to London Waterloo on South Western Railways on February 26 without paying the £45.20 fare.

The 18-year-old did not enter a plea and the case was proved in her absence at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on September 18, where she was ordered to pay a total of £533.20 including a £220 fine.

London Waterloo Station. (Image: PA Media)

Kadisha Jarret

Kadisha Jarrett, of Thorpe Crescent, was accused of being at Wembley Central station on October 20, 2023, without a valid ticket.

The 21-year-old was found guilty in his absence at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court on August 29 and he was ordered to pay £562.90, including a £220 fine.

Stevie Jean Butler

Stevie Jean Butler, of Estcourt Road, was accused of failing to produce a ticket, worth £1.75 while on a TFL bus in Brooks Hill Gate in Harrow on October 22, 2023.

The 32-year-old was ordered to pay £559.75, including a £220 fine, at Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court on August 29 after the case was proved in his absence.

Steran Lopba

Transport for London accused Steran Lopba, of Newhouse Crescent, of entering Gospel Oak station on March 9 without a valid ticket. 

Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court ordered the 34-year-old to pay £562.9, of which there was a £220 fine, after he was found guilty in his absence on August 1.

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Maros Balog 

City Thameslink took Maros Balog, of Cassio Road, to Barkingside Magistrates' Court on on September 13 as they accused the 36-year-old of being in a compulsory ticket area without a valid fare.

The case provide in his absence via the paper-only single justice procedure and he was told to pay £461.7 including a £220 fine.

Lewis Gent

Lewis Gent, of Rickmansworth Road, was taken to Doncaster Justice Centre North on August 22 by LNER.

The 32-year-old was accused of failing to hand over a valid ticket while travelling between Grantham and Kings Cross on May 20.

Magistrates proved the case in his absence and ordered Gent to pay £554.5, of which there was a £220 fine.

Gent was accused of travelling on an LNER train to Kings Cross without a ticket in May.

Liam Anthony Browne

Liam Anthony Browne, of Grove Crescent in Croxley Green, was charged with travelling to Reading on April 23 on a Great Western Railway service without paying the £36.90 fare.

The case was proved in his absence at Reading Magistrates' Court and Family Court on August 9 and the 31-year-old was ordered to £524.90, of which there was a £220 fine.