"Christian Hansen" wrote in
message ...
On 14 Jun 2006 04:21:55 -0700, "Jonathan Morris"
wrote:

Neil Williams wrote:
a 20 quid penalty every couple of weeks was
cheaper than a season ticket. It was even more "favourable" when the
PF used to be a tenner.

Even after the £20 introduction last year, a gripper 'caught' a guy in
a suit that had £20 in his hand and gave it over before the inspector
said a word. He'd clearly worked out that it was cheaper than a ticket
every day. Sadly, he's right to think it.

Well, that's what the threat of a £1,000 fine and a jail term is supposed
to
counter. If you get caught once or twice, £20. However, more than that and
there should be prosecution and, on conviction, the appropriate sentence.

I suspect that the fine would be more than a yearly season ticket. And the
criminal record (including a possible stay with Her Majesty) might make
suits
think twice about fare evasion.

But of course, since they're only fare-evaders they aren't interesting to
the
criminal justice people.

Thousands of poeple are prosecuted every year for fare evasion. It is now
handled as a private prosecution by London Transport thereby bypassing the
Crown Prosecution Service, which did indeed use to drag its feet on such
matters.