Paid child fare on train, getting done for fare evasion?

I was on the train the other day and I'll be honest I always prefer to pay the inspectors on the train, just incase they... don't come. So anyway the inspector came and said it was £10 for both of us, so we just said "wow thats a bit steep" or something to that effect (still with the intent of paying) and he offered us the child fare which is half that when he himself knew we wasnt 14 (we are both 18 and students)

Anyway we get to the barriers on the other end put our tickets in and they don't open, and we ask the guy why and he says because we are using child tickets and apparently the age is 14, we told him what had happened on the train with the inspector and he says it was our responsibility not his, however a much nicer chap gave us a form to fill out to say what has happened and said something would come in the post to fill out, but im not exactly sure what he meant by this as none of them were english.

Basically is this going to end up bad? apparently I can get a criminal record from this and a pretty big fine/ court costs, im starting to think maybe I should have just payed the £20.

Some advice or even just comfort on not getting a criminal record haha.. :L

Thanks

Sorry to bring the thread back up but they finally replied (a company called transport investigations Ltd), in letter basically stating that they had "sufficient evidence to warrant prosecution", for a journey in which I showed no valid ticket.

They're basically asking for a statement with a handwritten signature which gives me the opportunity for any "mitigation" I wish to be considered, and it also says that their prosecutions team are considering whether to include me in a list of summons at the magistrates court.

Basically its asking for a statement but not really telling me what to include, so far I came up with:

"Regarding the incident on the 17/07/13 I would just like to reiterate that the ticket inspector on board the train sold us the tickets without us being fully informed and offered firstly to sell us the child ticket, I was not aware of the age boundary especially as a full-time student which entitles me with certain transport options to travel under child fare, so I did not hesitate to accept which in hindsight may have been premature of me."

I was then going to say how I didn't believe this justified me being treated like a criminal at the gate (I was) and that I would be willing to pay the £20 penalty fare to avoid court?

Does anyone just have any advice on what to include or any other options?

Thanks a bunch!

No the forms were English, the employees weren't, and yes ed I'm not surprised at what happened, Its just that obviously the train company wants to take this to the extreme (even to a criminal record in circumstances) when in reality its kinda petty, when now knowing the extent it could go to I'd much rather get it out of the way and learn my lesson, but my apologies for not being the most outstanding citizen.

And in all honesty I could have for a second believed that child fare on rail would work the same as bus travel here, if you have a student card showing you are in full time ed and between 16 and 19, you are entitled to child fare on the bus.

I'm just kind of relying on the fact that being 18, and the fact that I made some form of effort to get a ticket, would mean they won't be able to pursue it very far?

And in all honesty I could have for a second believed that child fare on rail would work the same as bus travel here, if you have a student card showing you are in full time ed and between 16 and 19, you are entitled to child fare on the bus.