PART II

Testing, Marking and Approval of Vehicles

Miscellaneous and supplemental

Falsification of documents
24
1
The following section shall be substituted for section 171 of the 1972 Act (issue of false documents)—

Falsification of documents.
171
1
A person shall be guilty of an offence who issues—
a
any such document as is referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of section 170(6) of this Act;
b
a test certificate, plating certificate, goods vehicle test certificate or certificate of conformity ;
c
a certificate of temporary exemption under regulations made under section 44(10A) or 46(5)(b) of this Act; or
d
a notice removing a prohibition under section 57 of this Act;
if the document or certificate so issued is to his knowledge false in a material particular.
2
A person who amends a certificate of conformity shall be guilty of an offence if the certificate as amended is to his knowledge false in a material particular.
3
Expressions used in subsections (1)(b) and (2) above have the same meanings as they respectively have for the purposes of Part II of this Act.
.
2
In section 173(2) of that Act (seizure of documents etc. suspected of being false)—
a
for the words from " a certifying officer " to " this Act " there shall be substituted the words " a certifying officer or a public service vehicle examiner appointed under the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981, an examiner appointed under section 56 of this Act or an authorised inspector under section 8 of the Transport Act 1982 " .; and
b
in paragraph (b), after the words " plating certificates " there shall be inserted the words " notices removing prohibitions under section 57 of this Act ".
3
In Part I of Schedule 4 to the 1972 Act (prosecution and punishment of offences)—
a
in column one of the entry relating to section 171, for " 171 " there shall be substituted " 171(1) "; and
b
after that entry there shall be inserted the following entry—
171(2) | Falsely amending certificate of conformity. | Summarily. | £500. | — | — | Section 180 applies.
.
4
The following section shall be inserted after section 66 of the 1981 Act—

Issue of false documents.
66A
1
If a person issues—
a
a certificate of initial fitness under section 6 of this Act; or
b
a notice removing a prohibition under section 9(1) of this Act;
which he knows to be false in a material particular, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £500.
2
If a constable, a certifying officer, a public service vehicle examiner or an authorised inspector has reasonable cause to believe that a document produced to him or carried on a vehicle by its driver is a document in relation to which an offence has been committed under this section, he may seize the document.
3
The power to seize a document under subsection (2) above includes power to detach a document carried on a vehicle from the vehicle.
.
1981 c. 14.