NORTHERN has apologised after it was revealed that thousands of prosecutions for alleged fare evasion brought by train companies across the country could be declared void.

Four operators – including Northern, which runs services on the Airedale line – brought prosecutions against passengers using a system known as the single justice procedure (SJP), but the actions have been deemed wrongful.

At a hearing in June, Judge Paul Goldspring told Westminster Court that he believed the prosecutions were "void", with lawyers for rail firms telling a further hearing last month they were in agreement the cases should be quashed.

In a ruling at the same court this month, Judge Goldspring said six test cases should be declared a "nullity".

He said: "Parliament did not envisage these offences being prosecuted through the SJP.

"They should never have been brought through that process.

"I’m satisfied that the correct approach is to declare each of the prosecutions void and a nullity."

The exact number of people prosecuted for fare evasion offences under the SJP is currently unknown, but it's believed the figure could be over 74,000.

Judge Goldspring said attempts would be made by HM Courts and Tribunals Service, the Department for Transport and the train operating companies in the coming weeks to identify those affected.

He added that the aim is to have a full list by the end of next month, with the cases listed as a "bulk" hearing by late October.

A team will then be put in place to begin recovering the money paid by passengers and refund it to them.

After the hearing, a spokesperson for Northern said: "We welcome the court judgment. We would like to apologise for the errors that have occurred.

"We will now work with the court to implement the findings. We are unable to respond to individual inquiries in the meantime.

"Northern remains committed to ensuring that all our customers are treated fairly, which means ensuring all passengers who board our trains have a valid ticket."

Rail companies were able to use the SJP in 2016 to privately prosecute fare evaders, but it was reported that some cases were brought through the Regulation of Railways Act 1889, which was not allowed under the procedure.

At last month's hearing, Brian O’Neill KC – representing Northern – said both his company and a fellow operator, Greater Anglia, “recognised there was no power” to pursue such prosecutions.