£2.30 rail fare that cost fare dodger more than £400

A court has ordered six train passengers from Blackpool to pay a total of almost £4,000 in financial penalties for failing to pay for a ticket.
Arriva trainArriva train
Arriva train

In one case the passenger had not paid a fare from Lytham to St Annes of just £2.30 – but the court ruled he must pay £402.30 in punishment.

None of the defendants turned up to answer the offence against them and Blackpool magistrates found them guilty in their absence.

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Wayne Earnshaw, prosecuting for Arriva Rail North Limited, said all the defendants had been caught taking a train journey without paying the fare.

Daniel Bell, 24, of Park Road, took a journey from Lytham to St Annes for which he would have had to pay a £2.30 fare. He was fined £220 with £30 victims’ surcharge and ordered to pay £2.30 compensation.

Jason Breakspeare, 47, of Waterloo Road, travelled from Wigan to Blackpool North. He was fined £440 with £44 victims’ surcharge and ordered to pay £12.90 for the unpaid fare.

Carl Carraolce, 28, of Castlegate, South Shore, journeyed from Leeds to Blackpool North. He was fined £440 with £44 victims’ surcharge with £22.60 compensation for the fare. Chris Edgar, 33, of Derby Road, North Shore, journeyed from Blackrod to Blackpool North. He was fined £440 with £44 victims surcharge and ordered to pay £14 compensation. Ian Mehwert, 29, of Knowle Avenue, North Shore, travelled from Manchester to Blackpool. He was fined £440 with £44 victims’ surcharge and told to pay £19.30 compensation.

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Deborah Twist, 46, of Waterloo Road, took a train from Wigan to Blackpool North. She was fined £440 with £44 victims’ surcharge and ordered to pay £12.90 compensation. All six were told to pay £150 costs.