Britain's 'most prolific' fare dodger could now be sent to prison
A prolific fare dodger who racked up 100 convictions could now be sent to prison after failing to pay £34,000-worth of fines.
Charles Brohiri, 29, was given a three-month jail sentence, suspended for a year, in February when he pleaded guilty to 76 charges of failing to pay for a rail ticket.
The defendant, who is originally from Hatfield in Hertfordshire, but has been homeless for years, was also convicted in his absence in August 2024 of a further 36 charges.
But at Westminster Magistrates' Court today he admitted he has not paid any of the fines or compensation he owes 'as of yet'.
Appearing unrepresented before District Judge Nina Tempia for an assessment of his means, Brohiri was told the consolidated amount he owes, in compensation, fines and 'maybe victim surcharges', is £34,486.
It follows his failure to pay fares valued at more than £3,000 for Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) train journeys between February 2024 and November last year.
Judge Tempia told Brohiri: 'If you haven't paid anything then you can go to prison as I warned you last time. Do you understand that?'
Brohiri confirmed he did.
Charles Brohiri, 29, was given a three-month jail sentence, suspended for a year, in February after pleading guilty to 76 charges of failing to pay for a rail ticket. He is pictured here arriving at Westminster Magistrates' Court in August last year
Asked why he had failed to pay the money, Brohiri told the judge his referral from probation to help him receive benefits had been 'a bit slow' - but insisted he would begin paying £5 a week.
Judge Tempia ordered Brohiri to start paying £5 a week from July 31, and adjourned his means inquiry until August 27.
'£20 should have been paid when you come back on August 27,' she said.
Previously, at Brohiri's sentencing hearing in February, Judge Tempia had told him: 'My view is, as is set out in the pre-sentence report, that you feel that you are invincible by committing these offences and that you see it as some sort of self-entitlement that you can get away with it.'
She also called his offending 'brazen and persistent'.
But she added the pre-sentence report showed he has some insight into his crimes and that probation could help him.
The judge sentenced him to three months in jail, suspended for a year.
Brohiri was also told to pay back £3,629 in unpaid rail fares but was not ordered to pay the prosecution costs.
Brohiri was spared jail during his sentencing hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in February
He was further ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work, 12 months' prohibited activity requirement - which means he must not travel on any Govia Thameslink Railway trains - and to complete rehabilitation activity requirement.
'Be under no illusion if you commit any other offences and you do not comply with the requirement on this order you will be back in court,' the judge warned him.
The court was told Brohiri continued his campaign of fare dodging after being banned in April last year from entering Thameslink stations as part of his bail conditions.
His offending is said to have continued unabated, with the last allegation of fare dodging recorded on February 10 this year.
'With the exception of the period of October, November (and) December 2024, there have been offences in every month since February 2024 to the present day,' prosecutor Lyndon Harris said.
Eleanor Curzon, defending, told the court: 'He has expressed remorse and regret for having continued to travel on the trains during the whole period and particularly the period when he has been appearing before you judge.'
She said the pre-sentence report found Brohiri has been facing personal troubles but 'understood the severity of the charges'.
'He reiterated to me this morning that if he is given the opportunity to work with probation they can assist him in securing accommodation and employment,' Ms Curzon continued.
'It is really these two factors which will put an end to Mr Brohiri's offending.'
She told the court that he went to university but had to drop out and has worked as a waiter and in bars.
Asked what he has been doing in his three years of being homeless in London, Ms Curzon said Brohiri has tried to get support from charities 'but none of it has been consistent enough'.
Brohiri now owes £34,486 in outstanding financial orders.
Govia Thameslink Railway said: 'Fare evasion costs the railway an estimated £400million a year, directly increasing the cost to the taxpayer and diverting vital public funding away from improving services for passengers.
'That is unfair both on taxpayers and on the vast majority of passengers who pay for their journeys.
'We therefore take our responsibility to protect ticket revenue very seriously.
'Through the careful use of prosecutions, targeted ticket checks, focused action at known hotspots and better reporting tools for staff, we have cut ticketless travel on our network to its lowest level since 2022.'
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
