I know I'm not going to get sympathy for this as I've been very stupid. I just need reassurance/ advice on what to do. Swear I'm not a troll either. Please none of that 'you've been sooo stupid mate' or any other holier-than-thou ranting.
I was supposed to meet my family at London on that day. Due to an orthodontist appointment I got off at X Station with the intention of buying a ticket to London after. Like a total total idiot, I completely forgot, waltzed into X Station with my weekly (valid from home to X Station) and hopped on the train without thinking. It was a fast train and I just thought bleh. There'll be a conductor along the way.
When there wasn't one, I still wasn't too scared cause I know at London they have that counter where you buy tickets? So I got off there but it was closed. The guy who was going in or out pointed me to the station guy, he said something about not having a valid ticket. This was true, but I tried to explain my situation. Now I was getting scared. He fined me £20, of which I paid £5 there and then. He asked for my railcard, I have no idea if he recorded my numbers or anything. He asked for my details to confirm, I gave him my real name but - and I don't know how this came so easily - but I just lied... I gave my old address. Of course I knew what I was doing (I didn't know it was a criminal offence though, at the time), and yes, alright I did think it had been quite clever of me. I have been fined once before (that time was deliberate and I just paid it in the end). I thought if I could prevent it happening again.. and because in my mind, it was really unfair (though they obvs won't see it that way). I was p'd off at my own bad luck as well. It was my fault I know, but we all would do it, if we could.
Anyway now I'm not sure what to do. It's due by 1 May, after which I have no right to appeal apparently. My aunt was like it's fiiiine, how are they supposed to find you? And I was content to believe her then, but now I've been googling and some of the info is rather shocking. I would honestly just pay the £15 but I don't know what the fact of me giving false details means. How far will this go? Will they prosecute? Will they just drop it? The solution seems obvious, go and pay and explain to them, but I am just so terrified! Auugh. Been such a ****