A FARE dodger with a long ‘track’ record has been jailed after being caught without a valid train ticket... FIFTY-FIVE times.

Stefan Jaworski appeared before magistrates in Basildon where he admitted three of his latest offences which saw him evade train fares worth £12.30.

He admitted travelling between Rayleigh and Prittlewell on January 23, Rayleigh and Rochford on January 30 and Rochford and Hockley on February 11 this year without buying a ticket.

After hearing evidence from Greater Anglia about Jaworski’s prolific history of evading fares, the bench was unimpressed with his prolific record.

Magistrates handed the 37-year-old a 21-day prison sentence for each offence to run concurrently.

He was also ordered to pay £12.30 in compensation to Greater Anglia.

Chairman of the bench Paul Fisher justified the custodial sentence, stating: “This offence is so serious because of the nature and number of your previous convictions.”

The 37-year-old, of Francis Walk, Rayleigh, was not ordered to pay prosecution costs as it was deemed he did not have the means and priority was given to compensation.

Greater Anglia bosses say they will prosecute people caught flouting the law.

A spokesman for the train operator added: “We caught this offender 55 times travelling on our trains in Essex without a ticket and without the means to buy a ticket.

“Our revenue protection teams use their discretion when they catch people without tickets or the wrong tickets, but we will take action if we find people deliberately fare-evading.

“For every £1 spent on rail fares, 98p is invested in the railway.

“Therefore, by not paying for a ticket, there’s less money available for investment to improve the railway for everyone.

“It’s always cheaper for passengers to buy a ticket rather than face a fine.

Last year, fare dodgers on Greater Anglia were ordered to pay a total of £2.9million after the train operator prosecuted ten thousand  passengers caught travelling on the rails without a ticket.

In Essex, this amounted to 6,870 prosecutions which saw more than £856,800 awarded to Greater Anglia .