The Wigan rail passengers now counting the cost for being fare dodgers

The passengers appeared before borough magistrates to be hit with fines and costs that far outweighed the amounts they should have paid for their train journeys.

Steven Critchley, 39, of Springfield Street, Swinley, told staff at Manchester's Oxford Road station that he had bought a ticket at Wigan North Western with cash and lost it on the train.

He failed to reply to a letter asking for proof of the payment and a fixed penalty notice went unpaid, so the case went to court.

Magistrates found Critchley guilty of failing to show the ticket when requested on June 11.

He was ordered to pay a £220 fine, £150 costs, £34 victim surcharge and £7.10 compensation for the ticket.

His neighbour Stephen Harrell, 36, also of Springfield Street, made the same journey that day without a ticket. He was fined £220 and must pay £150 costs and £7.10 for the ticket.

Harrell was also convicted of going to a prohibited part of Manchester Victoria station on the same day. He was fined £440 and must pay £150 costs.

He was further convicted of making the journey from Wigan North Western to Manchester Oxford Road without a ticket on June 9 and received another bill totalling £465.

Meanwhile Dale Doolan, 33, of Warrington Road, Abram, did not show his ticket when requested upon arrival at Blackpool North on June 7.

A letter was sent requesting the £14.90 fare, followed by a fixed penalty notice, but they both went unpaid.

Justices found him guilty of travelling without a ticket.

He was told to pay a £220 fine, £150 costs, £34 victim surcharge and £14.90 compensation for the rail fare.

Paul Fairhurst, 39, of Acacia Crescent, Beech Hill, failed to pay both his £2.80 fare and a penalty fare notice for a journey he took from Ince to Wigan North Western and so ended up in court.

Magistrates convicted him and ordered him to pay a £220 fine, £150 costs, £34 victim surcharge and £2.80 for the fare.

And a Wigan teenager who travelled from Deansgate to Manchester Oxford Road without a rail ticket has also been convicted.

Harvey Tickle, 18, of Grasmere Avenue, Ince, failed to produce a ticket showing he had paid the fare on June 8 and then did not pay a penalty fare notice.

Magistrates imposed a £220 fine and told him to pay £150 costs, £34 victim surcharge and £2.60 compensation for the ticket.