A barrister and Oxford University graduate who spent more than two years avoiding paying for his train ticket could be the biggest fare-dodger to be prosecuted , a court heard . Peter Barnett , 43 , is said to have caused a loss of £23,000 to Chiltern Railways over a two-and-a-half year period . He travelled from his Oxfordshire home to London Marylebone but pretended to have only gone from Wembley , in north west London . Peter Barnett , 43 , is said to have caused a loss of £23,000 to Chiltern Railways over two-and-a-half years . Barnett admits six counts of fraud by false representation between April 2012 and November last year . The Australian-born lawyer argues that he only dodged up to £9,714.40 in fares , claiming the amount should be based on the cost of a weekly ticket , and take into account annual leave . But prosecutor Malachy Pakenham told Westminster Magistrates ' Court : 'If it is accepted that the loss was £23,000 , this defendant would be convicted of the biggest rail evasion case that has come to the court in the United Kingdom . 'The Crown have reached that figure by a number of rail staff calculating it . 'The train company are experts , not me or my friend and they have calculated it on a basis that if someone commits a fraud like this defendant has committed , you are not allowed to calculate it on the basis of a weekly ticket , you calculate it on a full single fare , of the return for the day , each and every day this defendant travelled over the period without a full price rail ticket ' . Barnett admits six counts of fraud by false representation between April 2012 and November last year . Barnett claimed to have travelled from Wembley , in North West London , instead of Thame , Oxfordshire . The scam began to unravel for Barnett when he was stopped by a ticket inspector at Marylebone last November . The Rhodes scholar claimed to have travelled from Wembley , instead of Thame , Oxfordshire , where he and his wife live in a £550,000 five-bedroom detached home . Barnett was sent to the excess fares window but another member of staff became suspicious and decided to contact his supervisor . When he turned his back Barnett ran away , but was apparently overcome with guilt and confessed the next day . An investigation was carried out by British Transport Police , which found the lawyer had dodged fares since April 2012 . The lawyer was cautioned for an identical offence in 2010 but continued to break the law , despite his prestigious reputation as the founder of an African children 's charity and director of leading think-tank , the Legatum Institute Foundation , aimed at 'promoting prosperity ' . A court heard how the barrister got off at London Marylebone ( pictured ) by tapping out with an Oyster card . It is understood he did so by boarding a train at Haddenham and Thame Parkway without a ticket , and then getting off at Marylebone by simply tapping out with an Oyster card . Because there was no start point to his journey , the automated system charged him the maximum Transport for London fare , which is currently £7.60 . But this is still far less than the £19.80 price of a single peak time journey from his home . The case was adjourned until July 27 so a hearing can be held to determine the loss caused to Chiltern Railways . Barnett was released on unconditional bail . The deception places him among the ranks of Britain 's biggest fare dodgers , closely behind a former millionaire fund manager . Jonathan Burrows was banned from working in the City last year after avoiding £43,000 in train fares from his home in Stonegate , East Sussex . Burrows had hoped to keep his name out of the public eye and avoid prosecution by quickly reimbursing Southeastern trains the full amount in unpaid tickets , accrued over five years , within three days of being caught .
Marylebone , 43 , travelled from Haddenham and Thame to Peter Barnett . But pretended to have gone from Wembley and tapped out with Oyster card . Deception places him among the ranks of Britain 's biggest fare dodgers . Oxford University-educated lawyer has admitted to six counts of fraud .