TWO men have been fined after pleading guilty to defrauding a train firm of almost £2,500 by claiming to have travelled on delayed trains and seeking compensation.
Stephen Hudson, 40, and Andrew Craig, 36, both of Park Lane, Baildon, yesterday admitted making 23 fraudulent claims in total to Virgin Trains over a period of two years.
Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court was told that both risk losing their “credible and professional” jobs as a result of the case, and had already paid back £2,000 to the train firm prior to the charges being brought.
As a result they owed a remaining amount of around £500 to Virgin Trains.
Hudson, a service manager for a large government organisation, pleaded guilty to claims totalling £1,515, and was fined £1,150, ordered to pay £300 in compensation, a £115 surcharge and £85 in costs.
Craig, a human resources manager, admitted claiming £950 fraudulently, and was fined £1,000, ordered to pay compensation of £200, as well as a £100 surcharge and £85 in costs.
The charges related to a two year period from October 30, 2013 to October 30, 2015.
Stephen Rushton, prosecuting, said that open tickets were purchased legitimately, but that some of them were never used.
Instead the pair used a smartphone app to identify journeys that were delayed, allowing them to submit online claims for compensation, he added.
“They did it in the knowledge that it worked and got caught up in the enthusiasm of it,” he said.
In Hudson and Craig’s defence the court heard that they undertook many legitimate journeys using Virgin Trains, and it was only some that were dishonest.
After initially being charged with fraudulently claiming £3602.95 between them, the pair were able to go through their diary entries and point out which claims were legitimate and which were not.
Their solicitor admitted they had been “frankly stupid” over the matter and asked they be fined rather than ordered to do unpaid work.
In sentencing, district Judge Richard Clews said there was a “degree of selfishness” about their actions.
“The system is there for the benefit of those that have been genuinely inconvenienced but it is open to abuse. When it is abused the long term effect is ultimately to increase the prices for everybody else.”
Virgin Trains operates a system which allows its passengers to claim compensation if their train is delayed by 30 minutes or more.
