Teen 'who thought he'd done the right thing' baffled after receiving letter from Manchester court

A teenager has been slapped with a £276 court fine even though he had bought a train ticket.

James Rawlings, 19, was getting home from work when he was handed a fine at Liverpool Central station on October 23 despite having bought a ticket using The Trainline website. He had not been able to print off the ticket because the ticket office was closed that afternoon and there was no access to a ticket machine, his dad, Paul, told the ECHO.

Paul said when James got to the barrier at Liverpool Central, he was given a fine but told this could be overturned on appeal. The next day the ticket office was still closed at Ellesmere Port but this time James took photos. However he was let through the turnstiles after showing his Trainline ticket that day.

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Shortly after, the family received a penalty notice which they appealed. They didn’t hear anything back until a bigger fine came through the post. They appealed again, sending it via next day recorded delivery.

The family, who live in Netherley, then said they received a letter from Manchester Magistrates' Court with a fine, saying the result of the court case was that James "failed to hand over a ticket for inspection and verification." They had no idea that the case was going to court, though the letters had warned court action may be taken.

Paul Rawlings told the ECHO: "A lot of people wouldn't be honest but he's just a 19-year-old lad trying to get home from work," adding: "He's an honest lad and he thought he had done the right thing.

"It's terrible. It's absolutely terrible when he had a valid ticket. One guard lets him through and then the other day he gets a fine. Why aren't they