A train passenger was fined £462 after a simple mistake left him with the wrong ticket.

The traveler was taken to court by Northern Rail after incorrectly using a discount card during a short journey between Prescot and Liverpool Lime Street.

The anonymous traveller, whose case was highlighted on The traveler’s train ticket was worth £4.30, according to court records shared by Mr Fifield.

In a separate incident, another traveler separately told the Telegraph how Northern had threatened him with legal action over an alleged underpayment of £1.90.

Sam Williamson, 22, said he used a railcard to buy a ticket but was unaware he could not do so for the train he was on. After he offered to pay for a new ticket, the ticket inspector told him that he could not do so and that a report would have to be submitted.

Last month, as many as 74,000 prosecutions for alleged rail fare fraud in England and Wales were quashed after a landmark court ruling.

Mr Justice Goldspring, Chief Magistrate of England and Wales, declared six test cases invalid., saying the process should never have been used.

Nathan Seymour-Hyde, solicitor and partner at Reeds Solicitors, said the ruling did not “mean people could just get on the train and dodge their ticket”.

But he added: “Railroad companies can simply change their procedures and still prosecute under the railway statutes when using the single justice procedure, or they can prosecute in another way under the railway statutes. public hearings, and they can then select the offense they want in that way. »

In another case, a Leeds man endured a legal battle with Northern Trains over a £3.50 fare.

Christian Waters had attempted to buy a ticket to Leeds from Kirkstall Forge station. However, the ATM was broken and no one was manning the service counter.

When he attempted to pay the fare upon arrival at his destination, he was ostracized and fined.

He appealed the fine and, when it was rejected, he refused to pay and received several threatening letters with increasing financial penalties.

He eventually pleaded not guilty at a single court proceeding before the case was withdrawn and settled for £3.50.