FARE dodgers were fined more than £32,000 in a single day by magistrates in Southend.

Greater Anglia brought prosecutions against 185 people caught not buying a train ticket.

They included dozens of people from south Essex caught by inspectors on the Greater Anglia network.

Andrew Goodrum, Greater Anglia customer service director, said: “We invest money from ticket sales into making the railway in East Anglia better for everyone. By evading fares there is less money for investment and ticket prices are more likely to go up for everyone.

“At the end of the day, it’s much cheaper to buy a ticket than to be fined in court.”

During a hearing at Southend Magistrates’ Court on June 7, magistrates issued fines of £32,625 and ordered defendants to pay costs of £15,600.

In one case, James Scott, 22, of Pennyroyal Crescent, Witham, was fined a total of £1,562 with £28.20 compensation and £600 costs for six offences.

Defendants from South Essex included: Jessie Benson, 19, of Hastings Road, Southend, fined £198 with £11 compensation; Bouatti Bilel, 30, of Salisbury Close, Rayleigh, fined £154 with £5.10 compensation; Jamie Brown, 33, of London Road, Westcliff, fined £110 with £4.50 compensation; Adam Doe, 43, of Essex Close, Rayleigh, fined £110 with £4.50 compensation; Craig Feagan, 28, of The Oaks, Billericay, fined £374 with £7.40 compensation; Joe Goff, 24, of Nevendon Road, Wickford, fined £154 with £7.20 compensation; Richard Harbey, 26, of Buckerills, Basildon, fined £110 with £3.10 compensation; Hector Hodginkson, 34, of Allen Grove, Leigh, fined £198 with £13.98 compensation; Zak Impey, 24, of Hill Road, Southend, fined £50 with £3.50 compensation; Kai Jager, 20, of Pulpits Close, Rayleigh, fined £330 with £3.50 compensation; Stefan Jaworksi, 35, of Francis Walk, Rayleigh, fined £704 with £10.70 compensation; Julian Kelly, 46, of Balmoral Road, Westcliff, fined £154 with £9.60 compensation; Peter Marshall, 47, of Heygate Avenue, Southend, fined £154 with £5.40 compensation.

All were ordered to pay £100 costs.