Seven train fare dodgers from the North East have appeared in court after failing to pay the fee before their journey or after the fact. 

All seven appeared at Teesside Magistrates on February 16 - where they were fined, and ordered to pay victim surcharges, costs, and the original fee of their fare in court this week.

A man from Middlesbrough was slapped with a hefty fine for attempting to dodge a £3.80 train fare.

Stephen Berry, of Albert Terrace, Middlesbrough, was caught travelling from South Bank to his home town without a valid ticket.

On Tuesday, July 18, 2023, the 44-year-old was recorded free-riding by the Northern Trains Ltd officials.

Berry confessed he was penniless and incapable of paying the fare when challenged.

The company sent a letter demanding the £3.80, then escalated to a fixed penalty notice when he failed to respond.

Berry was absent from the hearing at Teesside Magistrates' Court on February 16, 2024, where the case was proven in his absence.

In addition to the fare he ducked, Berry was fined £220, ordered to pay a surcharge of £88 to fund victim services and £150 towards the prosecution costs.

Summer Boyd, 21, of Gladys Tea Rooms, Hartlepool, has been fined £220 for travelling on a railway without previously paying a £4.80 fare.

Boyd was convicted in her absence at Teesside Magistrates' Court when she did not present a valid railcard to warrant her discounted return ticked from Thornaby to Seaton Carew on July 4, 2023. 

Boyd, when asked during the journey, confessed to not owning a railcard, leading to officials reporting her fare evasion.

The court proved the allegations against Boyd in her absence on February 16, 2024, fining her £220 and ordering her to pay the dodged £4.80 fare as compensation.

In addition, she must pay an £88 surcharge to fund victim services and £150 to cover prosecution costs, leading to a total liability of £462.80.

Chelsee Breeze, 30, from Chapelbeck Bungalows, Guisborough, has been found guilty in court after travelling by train without paying the £16.50 fare.  

Breeze was not present at Teesside Magistrates' Court on February 16 as her case was proved in her absence.

The incident took place between Sunderland and Redcar Central station on August 9, 2023.

According to Northern Trains Ltd, Breeze could not produce a valid ticket or pay for her journey when asked by the conductor during the train journey. She was issued an Unpaid Fares Notice with full instructions for payment or dispute provided.

However, the fare remained unpaid even after a reminder letter and a Fixed Penalty Notice were sent to her.

The court fined her £220 and ordered her to pay compensation of £16.50, the respective fare she failed to pay. Additionally, Breeze must pay a surcharge of £88 to fund victim services and prosecution costs of £150.

A rail fare dodger has been fined over 40 times the cost of her unpaid ticket at a Teesside court.

Emma Cossins, 45, travelled from Thornaby to Redcar Central without paying the fare of £5.30 on July 2, 2023.

Despite being issued an Unpaid Fares Notice, subsequent reminders and a Fixed Penalty Notice, Cossins failed to pay.

The case was heard at Teesside Magistrates' Court where Cossins, of Newcomen Terrace, Redcar, was found guilty in her absence on February 16, 2024.

The court ordered Cossins to pay the original fare of £5.30 plus £220 in fines, £150 costs and an £88 surcharge to fund victim services.

Terry Richard Duckworth, 33, of James Street, Barrow was found guilty in his absence at Teesside Magistrates' Court on February 16, and fined for his £60 journey from Newcastle to Barrow-in-Furness.

Despite being issued an Unpaid Fares Notice and a Fixed Penalty Notice, Duckworth failed to pay the fare and ignored all payment requests.

Upon his failure to respond, the train company, NTL Northern Trains Ltd, decided to take the matter to court.

In addition to the £60 avoided fare, Duckworth was ordered to pay £220 in fines, a surcharge of £88 to fund victim services, as well as £150 towards the prosecution costs.

A commuter has been fined £220 for fare evasion and using a fraudulent railcard on a train journey from Newcastle to Manchester.

Olanrewaju Olu Gbadamosi travelled on the railway on July 27, 2023, without previously paying the fare of £86.20.

On arrival at Manchester Piccadilly station, the 29-year-old from Newcastle presented an advance single ticket for Newcastle to Leeds and from Leeds to Manchester with a 16-25 Railcard discount.

However, when asked to produce the railcard, Gbadamosi instead presented a 26-30 Railcard with a picture of a lady and in a different name, raising suspicion among the Northern Trains staff.

Efforts to reach Gbadamosi, including a letter sent to him requesting an explanation and a Fixed Penalty Notice, were unsuccessful and he failed to respond.

Alongside the £220 fine, Gbadamosi was ordered to pay the evaded fare of £86.20 as compensation, £88 as a surcharge to fund victim services, and £150 towards the prosecution costs.

A Sunderland man has been fined for dodging a £6.50 train fare last August.

Wissen Ghanni, 24, of Echo Building, West Wear Street, failed to purchase a ticket for his rail journey from Horden to Sunderland, landing him in hot water.

Ghanni claimed he didn't have any money to buy a ticket during the journey and was deterred when Northern Trains Ltd sent him a Fixed Penalty Notice.

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The case took place at Teesside Magistrates' Court on February 16, although Ghanni himself was not in attendance.

Aside from the avoided fare, compensation of the same value is claimed, along with £150 in prosecution costs.

Ghanni was ordered to pay a £220 fine, a victim services surcharge of £88, the original fare he intended to avoid, and costs - totalling £464.50.