Irish Rail - Fine Protocol

Corvo Attano

Hi all,

Ill try keep this as concise as possible.
A sibling of mine recently received notice in the post that they were being fined for traveling without a ticket on a train. Irish Rail claim they were caught, her details taken and that she was informed it would be followed up on.

Heres the kicker however. She wasnt on the train. She wasnt even near a train station. So it couldnt have been her. When my parents called up irish rail to clarify they said they would ook into it and get back. They stepped of for a while until she recieved a second notice in the post.

Again my parents called and they said they were convinced it was her and that they would be proceeding. My parents again asserted it couldnt have been her, she wasnt in the location and the DOB the person gave dosent match my sisters.

Now Irish Rail are barking at my parents to send a photocopy of my sisters passport as some form of proof that it wasnt her. Now we cant see why they need the passport and are hesitant to give it. My parents have offered to provide proof via school letter stating she was in attendance on the day and to send a signed picture witnessed by the guards but theyre having none of it and today got very agressive and short on the phone saying that if we wont give it then it will end up in court

Basically im here to see if its proper procedure to hand over passport details and to see if anybody has had similar experience and could advise.

Carawaystick

If you have alibi witnesses who are willing to testify, I'd hold tough until you get a summons to court.

plodder

Maybe they have a CCTV image or photo of the person they caught.

Corvo Attano

From what they gather they dont have an image just a description of build

Miaireland

To be honest I would get the letter from the school and send it into Head Office along with a copy of the notice. Send it by registered post. I find sometimes the people who answer the phones cannot seem to look at things logically and seem to just quote for a script.

Corvo Attano

Miaireland wrote: »

To be honest I would get the letter from the school and send it into Head Office along with a copy of the notice. Send it by registered post. I find sometimes the people who answer the phones cannot seem to look at things logically and seem to just quote for a script.

Yeah I reckon much the same. Probably arnt allowed to use reason.

Good suggestion though. Might just do that

savagethegoat

I would mention that you intend suing for defamation if they persist. The onus is on them to prove it was her, if it can be proved absolutely it wasn't her, I'd hang tough too.

sporty56

If you're sure of your facts hold off and sue them for harassment and false accusations.

A few years ago I was contacted by a local authority about illegal parking which was not me. They got nasty about it but took 3 months to actually ask what car I drove. On learning that mine was a different make and colour than parked car, they demanded a photocopy of taxbook. I forcefully declined and have heard nothing further.

adya

Slightly similar case. Was late at the station and was gonna buy one on the train. Gave a fake address (few doors down from my college house) but gave him my student Id because i thought he was giving me a ticket then my licence. I wonder did he take down the address on my licence and would it be worth the risk of not paying it. Has the college address on the blue slip I got.

savagethegoat

totally unsimilar case, you had no ticket, you lied about your id, you deserve the fine.