Serial Fare Evader Fined £3,600 After 112 Ticketless Rail Journeys

A 29 year old man has been fined more than £3,600 after repeatedly travelling on trains without paying, clocking up 112 unpaid journeys over nearly two years on the Govia Thameslink Railway network.

Charles Brohiri appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court where he was ordered to repay £3,629 in outstanding fares. He also received a three month prison sentence suspended for 12 months, alongside a community order that includes 150 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation requirement.

Brohiri, originally from Hatfield in Hertfordshire, pleaded guilty to 76 charges of failing to pay for a rail ticket. He had previously been convicted in his absence of a further 36 offences in August 2024. The court heard that his offending continued despite being banned from entering Thameslink stations last April as part of bail conditions.

District Judge Nina Tempia described his conduct as deliberate and repeated, saying he had behaved as though he were invincible and had shown a sense of self entitlement in evading the rules. The judge noted that further alleged offences had been recorded since his last court appearance in January, including one on the day before sentencing. Those additional matters were taken into consideration.

Prosecutors told the court that Brohiri continued to board trains without tickets even while facing ongoing legal proceedings. The scale and persistence of the offending meant that custody was considered, but the judge opted to suspend the prison term to allow probation services to address underlying issues.

In mitigation, defence counsel said Brohiri had been homeless for three years and had at times slept on trains, in hospitals and in libraries. The court heard he had briefly attended university and previously worked as a waiter before moving to London. His lawyer said he had expressed remorse and regret for his actions and had struggled to access consistent support due to mental health challenges and instability.

The defence also said Brohiri had never acted aggressively when challenged by railway staff and had become sober three years ago, which was presented as evidence of his willingness to change. The court was told that securing stable accommodation and employment would be key to preventing further offending.

As part of the sentence, Brohiri must not travel on any Govia Thameslink Railway services during a 12 month prohibited activity period. He must also comply with supervision requirements or risk being returned to court and potentially activating the suspended custodial sentence.

A spokesperson for Govia Thameslink Railway said fare evasion increases costs for fare paying passengers and diverts public funding away from service improvements. The operator added that enforcement measures and improved reporting tools have reduced ticketless travel across its network since 2022.