text: magistrates court summons issued? i was travelling with my brother's oystercard when i was checked by london underground officer. i gave all my details to them. now i have received magistrates court summons to appear in court. if i decide not to, i have to agree and plea guilty which i m ready to do. i am not sure what will be their next step. will they prosecute me / take to jail / fine me / will i have criminal record against me ?  if you know, please write asap. thank you very much if ever a court lets you plead guilty by post it is a sure sign they don't intend on sending you down :)  you are likely to be fined - but like a driving offence, it should not be something that ends up giving you a criminal record - assuming there was no violence etc at the time.  of course, a letter of really good mitigation always helps - full of apologies for wasting the courts time - and had it not been for the mad panic that morning / evening when you borrowed your brothers jacket as you had spilled food on yours - and ended up with his things but not your wallet etc etc.  depending on what was told to the officer - and if there is any way of them knowing if you have a card of your own (you picked up your brothers card my mistake) there are possibilities for fairly good mitigation.  of course, it would only be right and proper to say thiese things if they are true.