A rail passenger must pay a £407.70 bill for the £3.70 train journey he took earlier this year and now has a criminal conviction.

James Sparta, 34, of Geldof Road, Huntington, had the chance to avoid prosecution by paying a £20 penalty fare but didn’t do so, Preston Magistrates Court heard.

He was not present when Northern Trains prosecuted him for fare dodging and was convicted in his absence.

The railway company told the court Sparta had travelled from Poulton le Fylde to Blackpool North on May 14.

The fare for the journey was £3.70 and that ticket purchase facilities at Poulton le Fylde station were working at the time of the journey, the court was told.

Sparta didn’t buy a ticket before he boarded the train at that station. When he arrived at Blackpool North, he was asked for his ticket and didn’t produce one.

He was given a penalty notice of £20 but didn’t pay it within 21 days, the rail company said.

The prosecutor said Sparta was sent a reminder and when he still didn’t pay, he was prosecuted.

The court fined Sparta £220 and ordered him to pay compensation of £3.70 to the rail company, plus a £34 statutory surcharge and its £150 prosecution costs.