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Interpretation of Part I

8—(1) Subject to subsection (2) below, in this Part of this Act “instrument” means—
 * (a) any document, whether of a formal or informal character;
 * (b) any stamp issued or sold by the Post Office;
 * (c) any Inland Revenue stamp; and
 * (d) any disc, tape, sound track or other device on or in which information is recorded or stored by mechanical, electronic or other means.

(2) A currency note within the meaning of Part II of this Act is not an instrument for the purposes of this Part of this Act.

(3) A mark denoting payment of postage which the Post Office authorise to be used instead of an adhesive stamp is to be treated for the purposes of this Part of this Act as if it were a stamp issued by the Post Office.

(4) In this Part of this Act “Inland Revenue stamp” means a stamp as defined in section 27 of the Stamp Duties Management Act 1891.

9.—(1) An instrument is false for the purposes of this Part of this Act—
 * (a) if it purports to have been made in the form in which it is made by a person who did not in fact make it in that form; or
 * (b) if it purports to have been made in the form in which it is made on the authority of a person who did not in fact authorise its making in that form; or
 * (c) if it purports to have been made in the terms in which it is made by a person who did not in fact make it in those terms; or
 * (d) if it purports to have been made in the terms in which it is made on the authority of a person who did not in fact authorise its making in those terms; or
 * (e) if it purports to have been altered in any respect by a person who did not in fact alter it in that respect; or
 * (f) if it purports to have been altered in any respect on the authority of a person who did not in fact authorise the alteration in that respect; or
 * (g) if it purports to have been made or altered on a date on which, or at a place at which, or otherwise in circumstances in which, it was not in fact made or altered; or
 * (h) if it purports to have been made or altered by an existing person but he did not in fact exist.

(2) A person is to be treated for the purposes of this Part of this Act as making a false instrument if he alters an A3