A man believed to be among Britain’s most prolific ticket evaders has pleaded guilty to 112 separate fare dodging offences worth more than £18,000.
Charles Brohiri, 29, appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court, where he quietly admitted to each charge, responding with a single word: “Guilty.”
The offences span nearly two years of travelling without paying on Govia Thameslink Railway services, including Thameslink, Great Northern and Southern trains.
His journeys covered vast swathes of southern and eastern England, from London to the south coast and as far north as Peterborough.
On some occasions, Brohiri made return trips to Brighton on consecutive days without purchasing tickets.
GTR has previously claimed he may have evaded fares on more than 180 occasions, potentially owing as much as £30,000 in total.
The total sum owed to the train operator stands at £18,386, comprising £3,266.90 in unpaid fares and £15,120 in prosecution costs.
Of the 112 convictions, 36 were made in his absence last year, amounting to £5,600 in fares and penalties.
Charles Brohiri pleaded guilty to 112 separate fare dodging offences worth more than £18,000
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The 29-year-old admitted a further 76 offences worth £12,700 during his court appearance.
Prosecutor Lyndon Harris told the court: “Between a combination of (convictions made in) the offender’s absence and his pleas he stands convicted of 112 offences.”
Brohiri allegedly continued his fare-dodging behaviour even whilst awaiting trial.
Despite being prohibited from using GTR services as a condition of his bail, he is accused of attempting to travel without a ticket as recently as Monday.
Brohiri appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court, where he quietly admitted to each charge
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These fresh allegations will be considered at his sentencing hearing.
Brohiri, who has said he is homeless, originally comes from Croydon and previously lived in Hatfield, Hertfordshire.
He told an earlier hearing that he does not have a mobile phone and has depended on public libraries for internet access since losing his home.
Under the stage name Rvre Dean, Brohiri performs as a rapper, with lyrics frequently referencing wearing diamond jewellery and driving flashy Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The 29-year-old was prohibited from using GTR services as a condition of his bail
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According to online biographies, he established a creative agency called ClvssyMvrty and registered with a modelling agency.
District Judge Nina Tempia granted Brohiri bail ahead of his sentencing on February 11, but issued a stern caution about his future conduct.
The judge told him directly: “I’m remanding you on bail on the same conditions as before. If you break your conditions you will be arrested and could be remanded in custody.”
When asked whether he understood, Brohiri simply replied: “Yeah, sure.”
A Rail Delivery Group spokesman said: “All Train Operators take their legal responsibilities very seriously, and make sure they always act fairly towards customers.
“Fare evasion remains a significant challenge for the industry, costing the railway between £350-400million each year.
“That’s money that can’t be used to improve services, which increases the burden on customers and taxpayers.”