“Most persistent” fare dodger in Britain to face trial over 113 incidents

One of Britain’s ’most prolific’ fare dodgers has appeared in court charged with more than 100 counts of traveling without a ticket.

Charles Brohiri, 28, was banned from entering any Thameslink station in April this year - but has been caught without a ticket a further 30 times since then, Westminster Magistrates’ Court was told.

In February, an arrest warrant was issued for Brohiri for more than £30,000 in unpaid court fines.

The wannabe rapper, who promotes himself as Rvre Dean on social media, was caught fare dodging on his way to court and as recently as August 18, prosecutors allege.

Brohiri, who is homeless, without a mobile phone and only uses the internet on public library computers, is facing 113 counts of traveling on a railway without paying.

Train operator Thameslink runs services north-south across London, with some services running as far as Brighton, Luton, and Bedford.

Brohiri will appear at the same court on December 16 this year.

District Judge John Zani granted him bail, but amended the wording of the conditions to ban him from getting on any Thameslink train.

’It’s very important you take these bail conditions seriously,’ he told Brohiri, adding: ’You don’t get on any train without having the money.’

Brohiri promotes himself on social media as the rapper Rvre Dean.

A description on the L-Hit website said Rvre Dean released his first EP in 2018.

It said: ’Dean’s music is set apart by its melodic, trippy, soulful, authentic sound and feeling. Even though Dean never shies away to drop lyrics when intended to.’

Despite being homeless, it said the rapper was ’into fashion’ and had signed up for a model agency. It said he also curated his own fashion brand ClvssyMvrty in 2016.

Gareth Ring, prosecutor for Thameslink, handed the court a dossier of 180 previous instances where he was caught without a ticket.

He was later arrested and brought to court on March 30, where he was bailed to reappear for sentencing.

However, he was subsequently spoken to 13 more times without a valid ticket. 

The previous record for a rail far evasion fine was £10,000 in southern Essex.

Higher sums have been paid back in the past as an alternative for prosecution, normally for fines of only a few hundred pounds. 

In the court appearance in May, Mr Ring asked him: ’Mr Brohiri, you’re clearly well-presented appearance-wise. Did the charity give you help here?’

He replied: ’Nah, these are, like, some things I had.’

The court heard that Brohiri ’clearly disregarded whatever happened in March’ and continued to board Thamselink trains.