Hullo all,
After a bit of googling around I thought I'd post here to see if anyone else has experienced similar.
5 months ago I was taking a tram near Tuen Mun and I had hopped on the tram without buying a ticket - I have some flimsy excuse for this but, meh, I didn't have a ticket. Anyhow, I was issued a fine, what they euphemistically term a "surchage" of $275 and that was that. I didn't think about it too much and within a day or so I had misplaced the bit of paper and then within 3 or 4 days forgotten about it completely. I did think about it at some time further on but I just expected I might get some sort of reminder in the post to pay up... but no, that would be far too simple...
Fast forward to today when to my great surprise I found a summons to appear at Tuen Mun Magistrates Court in a months time...
The Summons reads as follows: "Information has been laid THAT YOU did fail to make payment of a surcharge payable under by-law 6(2) of Mass Transit Railway (North-west Railway) Bylaw within 14 days after service of a notice in writing upon you on xx-xx-2016 at Light Rail xxxxx Stop demanding payment of the surcharge. Contrary to: Bylaws 8 (3) and 40 and schedule of the Mass Transit Railway (North-west Railway) Bylaw mad under the MTR Ordinance, Cap.556. This summons therefore requires you to appear on XX-XX-2016 at XXXXam in Court xx at Tuen Mun Magistrates court before the magistrate presiding there to answer to the information and to be further dealt with according to law. Personal appearance is required, even if you intend to plead guilty."
What a mouthful huh? I checked the relevant bylaw and yes, it is an offence carrying a penalty of $5,000 for bylaw 8 (3) and $5,000 for bylaw 40. What should I expect when I turn up at the court? I'm guessing that there will be a long line of other people in the same boat as I, right? Or is it that my case was chosen, at random presumably, from a pile of people who failed to pay the surcharge in time? Is it that the MTR can make $$$$'s off me by prosecuting me instead of just sending me a reminder to pay notice? Will I be penalized $10,000?!? or will I be penalized a portion of that ammount? What usually happens?
The letter comes straight from the magistrates court, ah, should I contact MTR and try to pay the surcharge now so that by the time the court date comes along I canat least have that done? Which MTR office do I contact? I guess that I can Google. It just worries me a bit that when I Google my situation, I don't see any other instances of people being issued summonses over failure to pay an LRT surcharge within 14 days, which does not fill me with confidence. When I plead guilty will this leave me with a criminal record or something? Will it affect any further work-visa applications as I'm currently between work-visas and looking for a new job? And why can I not find any info online about this? It can't be a new thing, it just seems surprising to summon me to court to plead guilty and have a magistrate fine me without me receiving even a single reminder notice through the post.
Does anyone here have any insight into my situation or any advice to give me regarding this?
Regards,
Walther