Where do I stand with threatened legal action? Please help, Im very upset!

hugobunny

I work in a hospital with limited parking, which is controlled by a company called carillion.

About a month ago I was called to my car and given a fine as they noticed I had altered the date on a one-day parking ticket I had purchased previously. (which costs £2.50)I had done this because I was running late and planned to go and buy a new one once work had calmed down a bit, but when I told them this they didnt believe me.

I paid the fine, and thought that was the end of it.

But today I have received a letter from a fraud investigation company saying they are investigating me for fraud and that I have committed a criminal offence. They said I have to attend an interview which will be taped.

I am really, really upset about this - i have never done anything criminal in my life and my job is very important to me. The letter was also very threatening.

Can they do they do this or are they just trying to scare me? I have been trying to get through to the cab advice line but they are busy and I am just getting more and more upset.

Any thoughts or advice appreciated.

Emily1990_2

I suspect that if they were serious they would have called the police instead of a 'fraud investigation company'.

However, I would still try and get through to CAB and see what they have to say.

oldone_2

First calm down, MSE members will talk youthrough this over the next couple of days.
Firstly can you give a bit more information on the actual ticket you recieved.Posting a picture washed of personal details would be ideal.
This is important as we need to see under what basis you were 'fined'.

As far as I can find out Carillion is a construction company, although they may have been given the contract to manage the car park.If so the likelyhood is that this is a PPC, which can for the moment safely be ignored.

With regards to the fraud investigation, my own gut feeling is to ignore them. Only the police via the CPS can decide if you have committed a criminal offence.

If they contact you refuse to be interviewed, saying you wish to take legal advice.This you may have to do, but for the moment we need more information.
viz
Details on the parking ticket; who is doing the fraud investigation and under what authority; and you need to also look through your employment handbook to see if it makes any mention of parking or related issues.

Once we have this information we can take the next step.

Coblcris

I taped interview with a private company that you have to attend ?

That is outrageous !!

Do not be misled by them. And do not attend that interview.

Please type up the exact word for word transcription error free text of the letter. Ensure that you copy everything correctly including all punctuation. But omit details which identify you such as name and address, car registration and such.

hugobunny

Thanks so much for the replies. I feel a bit calmer now thanks to you!

The ticket they gave me just had the name of the hospital on it and said it was a "breach of contract" notice according to the trusts car parking policy.

My job contract does not mention anything about car parking.

I have looked up the trusts car parking policy online and it does not say anything about fraud or legal action. It says parking without a valid permit = £50 fine or £25 if paid withing 14 days. (which i did, and the money has definitely been taken from my bank account).

It then goes on to say about 2nd warnings for doing it again etc (which i havnt done) and not paying fines, but still no mention of legal action. Although because it doesnt specifically mention fraud does that mean that if they are saying i committed fraud then they can still get round this policy?

The car parking people dont start work until 8 - i start at 7.30 so i couldnt have bought a permit the second i got there anyway.

I am so stressed!

Sput2001

It would really help to either see the actual letter & ticket, or verbatim transcriptions.

This all sounds, at best, very dodgy.

dacouch

It would be worth gathering all of the previous parking permits you had for the car park if you still have them, this may help to show that you normally buy tickets

Spartacus_Mills

hugobunny wrote: »

I work in a hospital with limited parking, which is controlled by a company called carillion.

About a month ago I was called to my car and given a fine as they noticed I had altered the date on a one-day parking ticket I had purchased previously. (which costs £2.50)I had done this because I was running late and planned to go and buy a new one once work had calmed down a bit, but when I told them this they didnt believe me.

I paid the fine, and thought that was the end of it.

But today I have received a letter from a fraud investigation company saying they are investigating me for fraud and that I have committed a criminal offence. They said I have to attend an interview which will be taped.

I am really, really upset about this - i have never done anything criminal in my life and my job is very important to me. The letter was also very threatening.

Can they do they do this or are they just trying to scare me? I have been trying to get through to the cab advice line but they are busy and I am just getting more and more upset.

Any thoughts or advice appreciated.

Colcbris is right. Do not attend. My view is if they had any evidence they would be straight onto plod. All they are after is for you to incriminate yourself.

In the meantime can you please provide the information Colcbris has requested.

Cheers.

oldone_2

There are two parts to this problem. Firstly the original 'fine' which the O.P has already paid.

Even if this from a PPC, it may be better to let this go and put it down to experience.

The second part is the 'request' to attend a taped interview, presumably to incriminate yourself.
What you need to do is carefully, and with a fine toothcomb, go through your contract of employment and staff handbook if you have one. What you are looking for is any mention of the procedures to be followed if fraud is suspected. Also what are the consequences of non-compliance with any investigations.

Technically, by altering the ticket, you are guilty of fraud, but it is such a small amount, and your explanation is reasonable, it is unlikely that the police would be interested.
At the very least you should try and establish under what authority the fraud investigators are acting, and the implications on your job if you don't co-operate.

My own feeling is that at the moment you can tell them you have no wish to attend an interview without them putting in writing what the purpose is, and what specific allegations they are making; which you will be submitting to your legal advisors. This is for your protection, since anything said verbally can later be denied by them.

If you are in a Union, aquaint them with what is going on.

Personally I feel that as a whole we do not value health workers enough, and they should not have to put up with this nonsense.

Coblcris

The contract of employment would only be of relevance to this if the employer was the putative plaintiff which doesn't seem to be the case. Barring some general clauses which may have application such as criminal convictions etc. but that hasn't happened.

We need more information especially the contents of the letter and the name of this 'Fraud Investigation Company'.

usignuolo

Who is the interview with? The parking management firm or the hospital? As you do not work for the parking management firm and there is nothing about parking in your contract, if it is the parking management, I do not see how they can "summon" you to a taped interview. You were parking on private land which they manage. This does not give them any right to summonse you to an interview which will be taped.

If it was a fraud investigation the police would need to be involved and would be doing the interviewing ewhich I doubt very much they are at this stage as it is private land. I agree with the others here that they want you to incriminate yourself so as to find out if there are any grounds for action. Although I really cannot see why they are wasting their time in this way unless maybe there have been other instances and they want to make an example of you. If you really feel you must respond, I should write back, not admitting anything at this stage, and ask merely for clarification on what legal basis they wish to interview you - which you assume would be voluntary in any case.