Armed Forces Act 1971

26 Falsification of documents

(1) Section 62 of the Army Act 1955 and section 62 of the Air Force Act 1955 (falsification etc. of any service report, return, pay list or certificate or other service document) shall each be amended as follows—

(a) the word " service " shall be omitted in each place where it occurs before the word " report " , and shall be replaced by the word " official" in each place where it occurs before the word " document ",

(b) in paragraph (c) (with intent to defraud, failing to make any entry), for the word " defraud" there shall be substituted the word " deceive " , and

(c) paragraph (d) (aiding and abetting etc.) shall be omitted, together with the word " or "immediately preceding that paragraph.

(2) The following provision (being one corresponding to the provisions referred to in subsection (1) above as amended by that subsection) shall be substituted for section 35 of the [1957 c. 53.] Naval Discipline Act 1957 :—

“35 Falsification of documents.

Every person subject to this Act who—

(a) makes, signs, or makes an entry in, any report, return, pay list or certificate or other official document, being a document or entry which is to his knowledge false in a material particular, or

(b) alters any report, return, pay list or certificate or other official document, or alters any entry in such a document, so that the document or entry is to his knowledge false in a material particular, or suppresses, defaces or makes away with any such document or entry which it is his duty to preserve or produce, or

(c) with intent to deceive, fails to make an entry in any such document,

shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or any less punishment authorised by this Act.”