IF YOU'RE tempted to skip a small rail fare, these two court fines might make you think twice.

Great Western Railway prosecutes hundreds of fare evaders at Swindon Magistrates' Court every year.

Last week, a man who skipped a £2.80 rail fare and used threatening language while travelling on the railway has been ordered to pay £320 in fines.

Alex Graham, of Addison Road, Melksham, did not turn up to his hearing at Swindon Magistrates’ Court to answer charges he attempted to travel on the train at Westbury on June 20 without paying a £2.80 fare and that while on the railway used threatening, abusive, obscene or offensive language.

This Is Wiltshire:

A GWR service at Swindon railway station

The charges were proved in his absence. He was fined £220 for the skipped fare, £100 for the poor behaviour, and told to pay £2.80 compensation to GWR and £190 in costs and surcharge.

And Hilperton woman Amber Livings, who skipped a £2.80 train fare to Trowbridge, was ordered to pay back 150 times that sum in fines.

The 23-year-old, of Sylvester Drive, had been due to appear before Swindon magistrates last week over accusations she attempted to travel on a GWR train at Trowbridge without paying the fare.

But when she didn’t turn up to the hearing, magistrates deemed the charge proved in her absence.

They fined her £440 and ordered she pay costs of £160, a £44 victim surcharge and £2.80 compensation to GWR.