On 30 Oct, 11:15, Mr Thant
wrote:

On 30 Oct, 10:14, MIG wrote:

If they are thought to be evading their fare, they should be
prosecuted full stop. *Lesser on-the-spot fines, penalty fares etc are
all inappropriate in every situation.

They've tried that and found it costs thousands of pounds per case and
doesn't have a high conviction rate. Also I don't think there's much
public support for doing so, and certainly the press have a field day
each time a case comes up (well, at least if the offender is white,
middle class and has a good sob story).


The burden of proof for a criminal conviction is of course "beyond
reasonable doubt" - well, I dare say that doubt can be conjured up by
those who wish for it. One rather suspects that the fare evaders who
are more likely to be prosecuted are those who, on being caught out
and confronted face-to-face by officialdom, subsequently decide to
adopt an honest approach and confess their sins. The problem is trying
to nail the others.