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Perjury Act, 1911.
Cap. 27
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Contents
- Preamble
- Section 1 — Short title.
- Section 2 — Adoption of Imperial Statutes.
- Section 19
- Section 20 — Repeals.
- Section 21 — Extent.
- Section 22 — Short title and commencement.
- Section 23 — Robbery.
- Section 24 — Sacrilege.
- Section 25 — Burglary.
- Section 26 — Housebreaking and committing felony.
- Section 27 — Housebreaking with intent to commit felony.
- Section 28
- Section 29 — Demanding money, etc., with menaces.
- Section 30 — Demanding with menaces, with intent to steal.
- Section 31 — Threatening to publish, with intent to extort.
- Section 32 — False pretences.
- Section 33 — Receiving.
- Section 34 — Corruptly taking a reward.
- Section 35 — Accessories and abettors.
- Section 36 — Husband and wife.
- Section 37 — Punishments.
- Section 38 — (Not applied.)
- Section 39 — Venue.
- Section 40 — Procedure.
- Section 41 — (Not applied.)
- Section 42 — (Not applied.)
- Section 43 — Evidence.
- Section 44 — (Not applied.)
- Section 45 — (Not applied.)
- Section 46 — Interpretation.
- Section 47 — Savings.
- Section 48 — Repeals.
- Section 49 — (Not applied.)
- Section 50 — Short title and commencement.
194 Cap. 27] Imperial Statutes (Criminal Law) Adoption
45 of 1932.
4 of 1946.
Short title.
Adoption of
Imperial
Statutes.
4 of 1946.
CHAPTER 27.
IMPERIAL STATUTES (CRIMINAL LAW) ADOPTION.
CHAPTER 27.
IMPERIAL STATUTES (CRIMINAL LAW) ADOPTION.
An Ordinance to adopt and apply certain Statutes of the
Imperial Parliament whereby the Criminal Law of England
has been consolidated, simplified and amended.
(1ST JANUARY, 1933.)
1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Imperial Statutes
(Criminal Law) Adoption Ordinance.
2. The Statutes of the Imperial Parliament set forth in the
:first column of the Schedule are hereby expressly declared to
apply to the Colony and Protectorate to the extent specified
in the second column of the Schedule.
Date of Statute and Title. Extent to which applied.
l and 2 George V. c. 6 The Perjury Act, 1911. Sections l, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11,
29th June, 1911. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 (1), 17
and 19.
3 and 4 George V. c. 27 The Forgery Act, 1913. Sections l, 2, 3 (3), 4, 5 (l)
15th August, 1913. (c), 5 (3) (a), 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18,
19 (1), 20 and 22.
6 and 7 George V. c. 50 The Larceny Act, 1916. Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
31st October, 1916. 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16,
17 (1), 17 (2), 20, 21, 22,
23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29,
30, 31, 32, 33 (1), 33 (3),
33 (4), 34, 35, 36, 37 (1),
37 (2), 37 (3), 37 (4), 37 (5),
39, 40 (1), 40 (2), 40 (3),
40 (4), 43, 46, 47, 48 (l)
and 50.
*(The sections of the above-mentioned Acts, which are applied by this
Ordinance, are printed, next after this, for convenience).
PERJURY ACT, 1911.
[1 & 2 GEo. 5. CH. 6.]
1. Perjury.
2. False statements on oath made otherwise than in a judicial proceed-
ing.
False statutory declarations and other false statements without oath.
False declarations, etc. to obtain registration, etc. for carrying on a
vocation.
Aiders, abettors, suborners, etc.
Venue.
Application of Vexatious Indictments Act, 1859.
Form of indictment.
Corroboration.
Proof of certain proceedings on which perjury is assigned.
Interpretation, etc.
Savings.
Short title and commencement.
PERJURY ACT, 1911.
[1 & 2 GEo. 5. CH. 6.]
An Act to consolidate and simplify the Law relating to Perjury A.D. 1911.
and kindred offences.
[29TH JUNE, 1911.]
Perjury.
statements
on oath made
otherwise
than in a
judicial
proceeding.
.41 & 42 Viet.
c. 31.
{3) Where a statement made for the purposes of a judicial
proceeding is not made before the tribunal itself, but is made on
oath before a person authorised by law to administer an oath to
the person who makes the statement, and to record or authenticate the statement, it shall, for the purposes of this section, be
treated as having been made in a judicial proceeding.
(4) A statement made by a person lawfully sworn in England
for the purposes of a judicial proceeding-
(a) in another part of His Majesty's dominions; or
(b) in a British tribunal lawfully constituted in any place
by sea or land outside His Majesty's dominions; or
(c) in a tribunal of any foreign state,
shall, for the purposes .of this section, be treated as a statement
made in a judicial proceeding in England.
(5) Where, for the purposes of a judicial proceeding in
England, a person is lawfully sworn under the authority of
an Act of Parliament-
(a) in any other part of His Majesty's dominions; or
(b) before a British tribunal or a British officer in a foreign
country, or within the jurisdiction of the Admiralty of
England;
a statement made by such person so sworn as aforesaid (unless
the Act of Parliament under which it was made otherwise
specifically provides) shall be treated for the purposes of this
section as having been made in the judicial proceeding in
England for the purposes whereof it was made.
(6) The question whether a statement on which perjury is
assigned was material is a question of law to be determined by
the court of trial.
2. If any person-
(1) being required or authorised by law to make any
statement on oath for any purpose, and being lawfully sworn
(otherwise than in a judicial proceeding) wilfully makes a
statement which is material for that purpose and which he
knows to be false or does not believe to be true ; or
(2) wilfully uses any false affidavit for the purposes of
the Bills of Sale Act, 1878, as amended by any subsequent
enactment;
he shall be guilty of a misdemeanour, and, on conviction thereof
on indictment, shall be liable to penal servitude for a term not
exceeding seven years or to imprisonment, with or without hard
labour, for a term not exceeding two years, or to a fine or to both
such penal servitude or imprisonment and fine.
3. (Not applied.)
4. (Not applied.)
5. If any person knowingly and wilfully makes (otherwise
than on oath) a statement false in a material particular, and the
statement is made-
(a) in a statutory declaration; or
(b) in an abstract, account, balance sheet, book, certificate,
declaration, entry, estimate, inventory, notice, report, return,
or other document which he is authorised or required to make,
attest, or verify, by any public general Act of Parliament for
the time being in force ; or
(c) in any oral declaration or oral answer which he is
required to make by, under, or in pursuance of any public
general Act of Parliament for the time being in force;
he shall be guilty of a misdemeanour and shall be liable on
conviction thereof on indictment to imprisonment, with or
without hard labour, for any term not exceeding two years, or
to a fine or to both such imprisonment and :fine.
6. If any person-
(a) procures or attempts to procure himself to be registered
on any register or roll kept under or in pursuance of any
public general Act of Parliament for the time being in force
of persons qualified by law to practise any vocation or calling;
or
(b) procures or attempts to procure a certificate of the
registration of any person on any such register or roll as
aforesaid;
by wilfully making or producing or causing to be made or produced either verbally or in writing, any declaration, certificate,
or representation which he knows to be false or fraudulent, he
shall be guilty of a misdemeanour and shall be liable on conviction thereof on indictment to imprisonment for any term
not exceeding twelve months, or to a :fine, or to both such
imprisonment and :fine.
statutory
declarations
and other
false
statements
without oath.
declarations,
etc. to
obtain
registration,
etc. for
carrying on
a vocation.
7. (I) Every person who aids, abets, counsels, procures, or Aiders,
suborns another person to commit an offence against this Act :~~~~~:;s
shall be liable to be proceeded against, indicted, tried and etc. '
punished as if he were a principal offender.
(2) Every person who incites or attempts to procure or
suborn another person to commit an offence against this Act
198 Perjury Act, 1911
shall be guilty of a misdemeanour, and, on conviction thereof
on indictment, shall be liable to imprisonment, or to a fine, or to
both such imprisonment and fine.
8. Venue.
Where an offence against this Act or any offence punishable
Application
of Vexatious
Indictments
Act, 1859.
22 & 23 Viet.
c. 17.
14 & 15 Viet.
c. 100.
Form of
indictment.
as perjury or as subornation of perjury under any other Act of
Parliament is committed in any place either on sea or land
outside the United Kingdom, the offender may be proceeded
against, indicted, tried, and punished in any county or place
in England where he was apprehended or is in custody as if
the offence had been committed in that county or place; and,
for all purposes incidental to or consequential on the trial or
punishment of the offence, it shall be deemed to have been
committed in that county or place.
9. (Not applied.)
10. (Not applied.)
11. The provisions of the Vexatious Indictments Act, 1859,
and the Acts amending the same, shall apply in the case of any
offence punishable under this Act, and in the case of any offence
which under any other enactment for the time being in force,
is declared to be perjury or subornation of perjury or is made
punishable as perjury or as subornation of perjury, in like
manner as if all the said offences were enumerated in section 1
of the said Vexatious Indictments Act, 1859:
Provided that in that section a reference to this Act shall be
substituted for the reference therein to the Criminal Procedure
Act, 1851.
12. (1) In an indictment-
(a) for making any false statement or false representation
punishable under this Act; or
(b) for· unlawfully, wilfully, falsely, fraudulently, deceitfully, maliciously, or corruptly taking, making, signing, or
subscribing any oath, affirmation, solemn declaration, statutory declaration, affidavit, deposition, notice, certificate, or
other writing;
it is sufficient to set forth the substance of the offence charged,
and before which court or person (if any) the offence was committed without setting forth the proceedings or any part of the
proceedings in the course of which the offence was committed,
and without setting forth the authority of any court or person
before whom the offence was committed.
,
•
(2) In an indictment for aiding, abetting, counselling, suborning, or procuring any other person to commit any offence
hereinbefore in this section mentioned, or for conspiring with
any other person, or with attempting to suborn or procure any
other person, to commit any such offence, it is sufficient-
(a) where such offence has been committed, to allege that
offence, and then to allege that the defendant procured the
commission of that offence; and
(b) where such offence has not been committed, to set forth
the substance of the offence charged against the defendant
without setting forth any matter or thing which it is unnecessary to aver in the case of an indictment for a false statement
or false representation punishable under this Act.
13. A person shall not be liable to be convicted of any f.orroboraoffence against this Act, or of any offence declared by any other Ion.
Act to be perjury or subornation of perjury, or to be punishable
as perjury or subornation of perjury solely upon the evidence
of one witness as to the falsity of any statement alleged to
be false.
14. On a prosecution-
(a) for perjury alleged to have been committed on the trial
of an indictment for felony or misdemeanour; or
(b) for procuring or suborning the commission of perjury
on any such trial;
the fact of the former trial shall be sufficiently proved by the
production of a certificate containing the substance and effect
(omitting the formal parts) of the indictment and trial purporting
to be signed by the clerk of the court, or other person having
the custody of the records of the court where the indictment
was tried, or by the deputy of that clerk or other person, without proof of the signature or official character of the clerk or
person appearing to have signed the certificate.
15. (1) For the purposes of this Act, the forms and ceremonies used in administering an oath are immaterial, if the
court or person before whom the oath is taken has power to
administer an oath for the purpose of verifying the statement
in question, and if the oath has been administered in a form
and with ceremonies which the person taking the oath has
accepted without objection, or has declared to be binding on him.
(2) In this Actthe expression "oath" in the case of persons for the time
being allowed by law to affirm or declare instead of swearing,
Proof of
certain
proceedings
on which
perjury is
assigned.
Interpretation, etc.
5 & 6 Will. 4.
c. 62.
Savings.
Short title
and commencement.
includes " affirmation "and" declaration," and the expression
" swear " in the like case includes " affirm " and " declare " ·
'and
the expression " statutory declaration " means a declaration made by virtue of the Statutory Declarations Act, 1835,
or of any Act, Order in Council, rule or regulation applying
or extending the provisions thereof; and
the expression " indictment " includes " criminal information."
16. (1) \Vbere the making of a false statement is not only
an offence under this Act, but also by virtue of some other Act
is a corrupt practice or subjects the offender to any forfeiture or
disqualification or to any penalty other than penal servitude,
or imprisonment, or fine, the liability of the offender under this
Act shall be in addition to and not in substitution for his
liability under such other Act.
(3) (Not applied.)
17. The enactments specified in the schedule to this Act
are hereby repealed, so far as they apply to England, to the
extent specified in the third column of that schedule.
18. (Not applied.)
19. This Act may be cited as the Perjury Act, 1911, and
shall come into operation on the first day of January nineteen
hundred and twelve.
FORGERY ACT, 1913.
[3 & 4 GEO. 5. CH. 27.]
1., Definition of forgery.
2. Forgery of certain documents with intent to defraud.
3. Forgery of certain documents with intent to defraud or deceive.
4. Forgery of other documents with intent to defraud or to deceive a
misdemeanour.
5. Forgery of seals and dies.
6. Uttering.
* The schedule is omitted from this printing of the sections which have been applied
Forget·y Act, 1913
7. Demanding property on forged documents, etc.
8. Possession of forged documents, seals, and dies.
9. Making or having in possession paper or implements for forgery.
10. Purchasing or having in possession certain paper before it has been
duly stamped and issued.
11. Accessories and a bettors.
12. Punishments.
13. (Not applied.)
14. Venue.
15. Criminal possession.
16. Search warrants.
17. Form of indictment and proof of intent.
18. Interpretation.
19. Savings.
FORGERY ACT, 1913.
[3 & 4 GEo. 5. CH. 27.]
An Act to consolidate, simplify, and amend the Law relating to A.D. 1913.
Forgery and kindred Offences.
[15TH AUGUST, 1913.]
1. (I) For the purposes of this Act, forgery is the making
of a false document in order that it may be used as genuine,
and in the case of the seals and dies mentioned in this Act
the counterfeiting of a seal or die, and forgery with intent to
defraud or deceive, as the case may be, is punishable as in this
Act provided.
(2) A document is false within the meaning of this Act if
the whole or any material part thereof purports to be made by
or on behalf or on account of a person who did not make it nor
authorise its making; or if, though made by or on behalf or on
account of the person by whom or by whose authority it
purports to have been made, the time or place of making, where
either is material, or, in the case of a document identified by
number or mark, the number or any distinguishing mark
identifying the document, is falsely stated therein; and in
particular a document is false-
(a) if any material alteration, whether by addition, insertion, obliteration, erasure, removal, or otherwise, has been
made therein;
Definition of
forgery.
certain documents with
intent to
defraud.
(b) if the whole or some material part of it purports to be
made by or on behalf of a fictitious or deceased person;
(c) if, though made in the name of an existing person, it is
made by him or by his authority with the intention that it
should pass as having been made by some person, real or
fictitious, other than the person who made or authorised it.
(3) For the purposes of this Act-
(a) it is immaterial in what language a document is
expressed or in what place within or without the King's
dominions it is expressed to take effect;
(b) forgery of a document may be complete even if the
document when forged is incomplete, or is not or does not
purport to be such a document as would be binding or
sufficient in law;
(c) the crossing on any cheque, draft on a banker, postoffice money order, postal order, coupon, or other document
the crossing of which is authorised or recognised by law,
shall be a material part of such cheque, draft, order, coupon,
or document.
2. (1) Forgery of the following documents, if committed
with intent to defraud, shall be felony and punishable with
penal servitude for life-
(a) any will, codicil, or other testamentary document,
either of a dead or of a living person, or any probate or
letters of administration, whether with or without the will
annexed;
(b) any deed or bond, or any assignment at law or in
equity of any deed or bond, or any attestation of the execution
of any deed or bond;
(c) any bank note, or any indorsement on or assignment of
any bank note.
(2) Forgery of the following documents, if committed with
intent to defraud, shall be felony and punishable with penal
servitude for any term not exceeding fourteen years- ·
(a) any valuable security or assignment thereof or endorsement thereon, or, where the valuable security is a bill of
exchange, any acceptance thereof;
(b) any document of title to lands or any assignment
thereof or endorsement thereon;
(c) any document of title to goods or any assignment
thereof or endorsement thereon;
(d) any power of attorney or other authority to transfer
any share or interest in any stock, annuity, or public fund
of the United Kingdom or any part of His Majesty's dominions
or of any foreign state or country or to transfer any share or
interest in the debt of any public body, company, or society,
British or foreign, or in the capital stock of any such company
or society, or to receive any dividend or money payable in
respect of such share or interest or any attestation of any
such power of attorney or other authority;
(e) any entry in any book or register which is evidence of
the title of any person to any share or interest hereinbefore
mentioned or to any dividend or interest payable in respect
thereof;
(f) any policy of insurance or any assignment thereof or
endorsement thereon;
(g) any charter-party or any assignment thereof;
(h) any declaration, warrant, order, affidavit, affirmation,
certificate, or other document required or authorised to be
made by or for the purposes of the Government Annuities
Act, 1829, or the Government Annuities Act, 1832, or by the
National Debt Commissioners acting under the authority of
the said Acts;
(i) any certificate of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue
or any other Commissioners acting in execution of the
Income Tax Acts;
(j) any certificate, certificate of valuation, sentence or
decree of condemnation or restitution, or any copy of such
sentence or decree, or any receipt required by the Slave
Trade Acts.
3. (1) (Not applied.)
(3) Forgery of the following documents, if committed with
intent to defraud or deceive, shall be felony, and punishable with
penal servitude for any term not exceeding seven years-
(a) any official document whatsoever of or belonging to
any court of justice, or made or issued by any judge, magistrate, officer, or clerk of any such court;
(b) any register or book kept under the provisions of any
law in or under the authority of any court of justice;
(c) any certificate, office copy, or certified copy of any such
document, register, or book or of any part thereof;
10 Geo. 4,
c. 24.
2 & 3 Will,
4. c. 59.
certain docu·
ments with
intent to
defraud or
deceive.
52 Viet. c. 10.
57 & 58 Viet.
c. 60.
other documents with
intent to defraud or to
deceive a misdemeanour.
seals and dies.
(d) any document which any magistrate or any master or
reg!strar in lunacy is authorised or required by law to make
or Issue;
(e) any document which any person authorised to administer
an oath under the Commissioners for Oaths Act, 1889, is
authorised or required by law to make or issue;
(f) any document made or issued by an officer of state or
law officer of the Crown, or any document upon which, by
the law or usage at the time in force, any court of justice or
any officer might act;
(g) any document or copy of a document used or intended
to be used in evidence in any Court of Record, or any
document which is made evidence by law;
(h) any certificate required by any Act for the celebration
of marriage;
(i) any licence for the celebration of marriage which may
be given by law;
(j) any certificate, declaration, or order under any enactment relating to the registration of births or deaths;
(k) any register book, builder's certificate, surveyor's certificate, certificate of registry, declaration, bill of sale, instrument of mortgage, or certificate of mortgage or sale under
Part I of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, or any entry or
endorsement required by the said Part of the said Act to be
made in or on any of those documents;
(l) any permit, certificate, or similar document made or
granted by or under the authority of the Commissioners of
Customs and Excise.
4. {1) Forgery of any document, which is not made felony
under this or any other statute for the time being in force, if
committed with intent to defraud, shall be a Inisdemeanour and
punishable with imprisonment with or without hard labour for
any term not exceeding two years.
(2) Forgery of any public document which is not made
felony under this or any other statute for the time being in
force, if committed with intent to defraud or deceive, shall be
a misdemeanour and punishable with imprisonment with or
without hard labour for any term not exceeding two years.
5. (I) Forgery of the following seals, if committed with
intent to defraud or deceive, shall be felony and punishable
with penal servitude for life-
(a) (Not applied.)
(b) (Not applied.)
(c) The seal of any court of record;
(d) (Not applied.)
(3) Forgery of the following seals, if committed with intent
to defraud or deceive, shall be felony and punishable with penal
servitude for any term not exceeding seven years-
(a) the seal of any court of justice other than a court of
record;
(b) (Not applied.)
(4) (Not applied.)
(5) (Not applied.)
6. (1) Every person who utters any forged document, seal, Uttering.
or die shall be guilty of an offence of the like degree (whether
felony or misdemeanour) and on conviction thereof shall be
liable to the same punishment as if he himself had forged the
document, seal, or die.
(2) A person utters a forged document, seal, or die, who,
knowing the same to be forged, and with either of the intents
necessary to constitute the offence of forging the said document,
seal, or die, uses, offers, publishes, delivers, disposes of, tenders
in payment or in exchange, exposes for sale or exchange,
exchanges, tenders in evidence, or puts off the said forged
document, seal, or die.
(3) It is immaterial where the document, seal, or die was
forged.
7. Every person shall be guilty of felony and on conviction Demanding
thereof shall be liable to penal servitude for any term not rop~rta on
exceeding fourteen years, who, with intent to defraud, demands, ~~~~s, e~:.u
receives, or obtains, or causes or procures to be delivered, paid
or transferred to any person, or endeavours to receive or
obtain or to cause or procure to be delivered, paid or transferred
to any person any money, security for money or other property,
real or personal-
(a) under, upon, or by virtue of any forged instrument
whatsoever, knowing the same to be forged; or
(b) under, upon, or by virtue of any probate or letters of
administration, knowing the will, testament, codicil, or
testamentary writing on which such probate or letters of
S.L.-VoL. I-18
Possession of
forged documents, seals,
and dies.
54 & 55 Viet.
c. 38
administration shall have been obtained to have been forged
or knowing such probate or letters of administration to hav~
been obtained by any false oath, affirmation, or affidavit.
8. (1) Every person shall be guilty of felony and on conviction thereof shall be liable to penal servitude for any term
not exceeding fourteen years, who, without lawful authority
or excuse, the proof whereof shall lie on the accused, purchases
or receives from any person, or has in his custody or possession,
a forged bank note, knowing the same to be forged.
(2) Every person shall be guilty of felony and on conviction
thereof shall be liable to penal servitude for any term not
exceeding fourteen years, who, without lawful authority or
excuse, the proof whereof shall lie on the accused, and knowing
the same to be forged, has in his custody or possession-
(a) any forged die required or authorised by law to be used
for the marking of gold or silver plate, or of gold or silver
wares, or any ware of gold, silver, or base metal bearing the
impression of any such forged die;
(b) any forged stamp or die as defined by the Stamp Duties
Management Act, 1891;
(c) any forged wrapper or label provided by or under the
authority of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue or the
Commissioners of Customs and Excise.
(3) Every person shall be guilty of felony and on conviction
thereof shall be liable to penal servitude for any term not
exceeding seven years, who, without lawful authority or excuse,
the proof whereof shall lie on the accused, and knowing the
same to be forged, has in his custody or possessionany forged stamp or die, resembling or intended to resemble
either wholly or in part any stamp or die which at any
time whatever has been or may be provided, made, or used
by or under the direction of the local authority for the
purposes of the Local Stamp Act, 1869.
MaJ?ng. or 9. Every person shall be guilty of felony and on conviction
~e~:~!~a~~~- thereof shall be liable to penal servitude for any term not
or imple- exceeding seven years, who, without lawful authority or excuse,
~~;!:Y:or the proof whereof shall lie on the accused-
(a) makes, uses, or knowingly has in his custody or possession any paper intended to resemble and pass as-
(i) special paper such as is provided and used for making
any bank note, Treasury bill, or London county bill;
l
________F_o_rg_e_ry_A_ct_,_19_1_3__________2_0_7
[ (ii) revenue paper;
(b) makes, uses, or knowingl:y has in his custody ~r possession, any frame, mould, or mstrument for makmg such
paper, or for producing in or on such paper any words,
figures, letters, marks, lines, or devices peculiar to and used
in or on any such paper;
(c) engraves or in anywise makes upon any plate, wood,
stone, or other material, any words, figures, letters, marks,
lines, or devices, the print whereof resembles in whole or in
part any words, figures, letters, marks, lines, or devices
peculiar to and used in or on any bank note, or in or on any
document entitling or evidencing the title of any person to
any share or interest in any public stock, annuity, fund, or
debt of any part of His Majesty's Dominions or of any foreign
state, or in any stock, annuity, .fund, or debt of any body
corporate, company, or society, whether within or without
His Majesty's dominions;
(d) uses or knowingly has in his custody or possession any
·· plate, wood, stone, or other material, upon which any such
words, figures, letters, marks, lines, or devices have been
.,i...'::J·,·.,I··.,:: :J£;{zr:~~~; ~~h::~~;~ez: re~::~i:.;~lines, or devices have been printed or in anywise made as
aforesaid.
~··
::·
10. Every person shall be guilty of a misdemeanour and on Pur?ha~ing or
conviction thereof shall be liable to imprisonment, with or hav~ngmpto~-
• sesswncer am
without hard labour, for any term not exceedmg two years, who, paper before
without lawful authority or exc~se the proof ~hereof sh!lll l~e ~uf;~t~:~ed
on the accused, purchases, receives, or knowmgly has m his and issued.
custody or possession-
(a) any special paper provided and used for making
Treasury bills or London county bills or any Revenue paper
before such paper has been duly stamped, signed, and issued
for public use;
(b) any die ,peculiarly used in the manufacture of any such
paper.
11. Any person who knowingly and wilfully aids, abets, Accessories
counsels, causes, procures, or commands the commission of an and abettors.
offence punishable under this Act shall be liable to be dealt with,
indicted, tried, and punished as a principal offender.
S.L.-VoL. I-IS*
208 Forgery Act, 1913
12. Punishments.
(1) Where a sentence of penal servitude may be imposed
on conviction of an offence against this Act, the court may
instead thereof, impose a sentence of imprisonment, with o;
without hard labour, for not more than two years.
(2) (a) On conviction of a misdemeanour punishable under
this Act, the court, instead of or in addition to any other punishment which may be lawfully imposed, may fine the offender.
(b) On conviction of a felony punishable under this Act,
the court, in addition to imposing a sentence of penal servitude
or imprisonment, may require the offender to enter into his own
recognisances, with or without sureties, for keeping the peace
and being of good behaviour.
(c) On conviction of a misdemeanour punishable under this
Act, the court, instead of or in addition to any other punishment
which may lawfully be imposed for the offence, may require the
offender to enter into his own recognisances, with or without
sureties, for keeping the peace and being of good behaviour.
(d) No person shall be imprisoned under this section for
more than one year for not finding sureties.
13. (Not applied.)
Venue 14. (1) A person charged-
(a) with an offence against this Act; or
(b) with an offence indictable at common law or under
any Act for the time being in force consisting in the forging
or altering of any matter whatsoever, or in offering, uttering,
disposing of, or putting off any matter whatsoever, knowing
the same to be forged or altered;
may be proceeded against, indicted, tried, and punished in any
county or place in which he was apprehended or is in custody
as if the offence had been committed in that county or place;
and for all purposes incidental to or consequential on the
prosecution, trial, or punishment of the offence, it shall be
deemed to have been committed in that county or place:
Provided that, where the offence charged relates to documents made for the purpose of any Act relating to the
suppression of the slave trade, it shall, for the purposes of
jurisdiction and trial, be treated as an offence against the Slave
36 & 37 Viet. Trade Act, 1873.
c. 88.
(2) Nothing in this section shall affect the laws relating to
the government of His Majesty's naval or military forces.
ill
!!11
lil
15. Where the having any document, seal, or die in the
custody or possession of any person is in this Act expressed
to be an offence, a person shall be deemed to have a document,
seal or die in his custody or possession if he-
(a) has it in his personal custody or possession; or
(b) knowingly and wilfully has it in the actual custody or
possession of any other person, or in any building, lodging,
apartment, field, or other place, whether open or enclosed,
and whether occupied by himself or not.
It is immaterial whether the document, matter, or thing is
had in such custody, possession, or place for the use of such
person or for the use or benefit of another person.
16. (I) If it shall be made to appear by information on oath
before a justice of the peace that there is reasonable cause to
believe that any person has in his custody or possession without
lawful authority or excuse-
(a) any bank note; or
(b) any implement for making paper or imitation of the
paper used for bank notes; or
(c) any material having thereon any words, forms, devices,
or characters capable of producing or intended to produce
the impression of a bank note; or
(d) any forged document, seal, or die; or
(e) any machinery, implement, utensil, or material used
or intended to be used for the forgery of any document;
the justice may grant a warrant to search for the same; and if
the same shall be found on search, it shall be lawful to seize it
and carry it before a justice of the county or place in which
the warrant was issued, to be by him disposed of according
to law.
(2) Every document, seal, or die lawfully seized under such
warrant shall be defaced and destroyed or otherwise disposed
of-
(a) by order of the court before which the offender is
tried; or ·
(b) if there be no trial, by order of a justice of the peace;
or
(c) if it affects the public revenue, by the Commissioners of
Inland Revenue or the Commissioners of Customs and
Excise, as the case may require; or
Criminal
possession.
Search
warrants.
7 & 8 Viet.
c. 22.
Form of
indictment
and proof of
intent.
Interpretation.
(d) if it affects any of the companies of Goldsmiths or
Guardians referred to in the Gold and Silver Wares Act, 1844
by the said company or guardians. '
17. (l) In an indictment or information for an offence
against this Act with reference to any document, seal, or die, it
is sufficient to refer to the document, seal, or die by any name
or designation by which it is usually known, or by its purport,
without setting out any copy or facsimile of the whole or any
part of the document, seal, or die.
(2) Where an intent to defraud or an intent to deceive is
one of the constituent elements of an offence punishable under
this Act, or under any other Act relating to forgery or any
kindred offence for the time being in force, it shall not be
necessary to allege in the indictment or to prove an intent to
defraud or deceive any particular person; and it shall be
sufficient to prove that the defendant did the act charged with
intent to defraud or to deceive, as the case may require.
(3) If any person who is a member of any co-partnership,
or is one of two or more beneficial owners of any property,
forges any document, matter, or thing with intent to defraud
the co-partnership or the other beneficial owners, he is liable to
be dealt with, indicted, tried, and punished, as if he had not
been or was not a member of the co-partnership, nor one of such
beneficial owners.
18. (l) In this Act unless the context otherwise requiresthe expression " bank note " includes any note or bill of
exchange of the Bank of England or Bank of Ireland, or of
any other person, body corporate, or company carrying on
the business of banking in any part of the world, and includes
"bank bill," "bank post bill," "blank bank note," "blank
bank bill of exchange," and " blank bank post bill " ;
the expression " die " includes any plate, type, tool, or
implement whatsoever, and also any part of any die plate,
type, tool, or implement, an.d any stamp or impression
thereof or any part of such stamp or impression;
the expression " document of title to goods " includes any
bill of lading, India warrant, dock warrant, warehouse
keepers certificate, warrant or order for the delivery or
transfer of any goods or valuable thing, bought or sold note,
or any other document used in the ordinary course of business
as proof of the possession or control of goods, or authorising
or purporting to authorise either by endorsement or by
delivery the possessor of such document to transfer or receive
any goods thereby represented or therein mentioned or
referred to;
the expression " document of title to lands " includes any
deed, map, roll, register, or instrument in writing being or
containing evidence of the title or any part of the title to
any land or to any interest in or arising out of any land, or
any authenticated copy thereof;
the expression "revenue paper" means any paper provided by the proper authority for the purpose of being used
for stamps, licences, permits, Post Office money orders, or
postal orders, or for any purpose whatever connected with
the public revenue;
the expression "seal" includes any stamp or impression
of a seal or any stamp or impression made or apparently
intended to resemble the stamp or impression of a seal, as
well as the seal itself;
the expression " stamp " includes a stamp impressed by
means of a die as well as an adhesive stamp;
the expression " Treasury bill," includes Exchequer bill,
Exchequer bond, Exchequer debenture, and War bond;
the expression "valuable security" includes any writing
entitling or evidencing the title of any person to any share
or interest in any public stock, annuity, fund, or debt of any
part of His Majesty's dominions or of any foreign state, or
in any stock, annuity, fund, or debt of any body corporate,
company, or society, whether within or without His Majesty's
dominions, or to any deposit in any bank, and also includes
any scrip, debenture, bill, note, warrant, order, or other
security for the payment of money, or any accountable
receipt, release, or discharge, or any receipt or other instrument evidencing the payment of money, or the delivery of
any chattel personal.
(2) References in this Act to any Act in force at the commencement of this Act shall be held to include a reference to
that Act as amended, extended, or applied by any other Act.
(3) References in this Act to any Government department
shall in relation to any functions performed by that department
be held to include references to any other Government department by which the same functions were previously performed.
19. (l) Where an offence against this Act also by virtue of Savings.
some other Act subjects the offender to any forfeiture or
disqualification, or to any penalty other than penal servitude or
Extent.
Short title
and commencement.
imprisonment or fine, the liability of the offender to punishment
under this Act shall be in addition to and not in substitution
for his liability under such other Act.
20. The enactments specified in the schedule to this Act are
hereby repealed as to England and Ireland to the extent
specified in the third column of that schedule.
21. (Not applied.)
22. This Act may be cited as the Forgery Act, 1913, and
shall come into operation on the first day of January one
thousand nine hundred and fourteen.
LARCENY ACT, 1916.
[6 & 7 GEO. 5. CH. 50.]
1. Definition.
2. Simple larceny.
3. Larceny of cattle.
4. Killing animals with intent to steal.
5. Larceny, etc., of dogs.
6. Larceny of wills.
7. Larceny of documents of title to lands and other legal documents.
8. Damaging fixtures, trees, etc., with intent to steal.
9. Larceny of goods in process of manufacture.
10. Abstracting of electricity.
11. Larceny, etc., of ore from mines.
12. (Not applied.)
13. Larceny in dwelling-houses.
14. Larceny from the person.
15. Larceny from ships, docks, etc.
16. Larceny by tenants or lodgers.
17. Larceny and embezzlement by clerks or servants.
18. (Not applied.)
19. (Not applied.)
20. Conversion.
21. Conversion by trustee.
22. Factors obtaining advances on the property of their principals.
* The schedule is omitted from this printing of the sections which have been applied.
sECTION.
Being found by night armed or in possession of housebreakingimplements.
LARCENY ACT, 1916.
[6 & 7 GEo. 5. CH. 50.]
An Act to consolidate and simplify the Law relating to Larceny A.D. 1916.
triable on Indictment and Kindred Offences.
[31ST OCTOBER, 1916.]
1. For the purposes of this Act- Definition.
(1) A person steals who, without the consent of the owner,
fraudulently and without a claim of right made in good faith,
takes and carries away anything capable of being stolen with
intent, at the time of such taking, permanently to deprive
the owner thereof:
Provided that a person may be guilty of stealing any such
thing notwithstanding that he has lawful possession thereof,
if, being a bailee or part owner thereof, he fraudulently
converts the same to his own use or the use of any person
other than the owner.
(2) (~) the expression "takes" includes obtaining the
possessiOn-
(a) by any trick;
Simple
larceny.
cattle.
Killing
animals with
intent to
steal.
(b) by intimidation;
(c) under a mistake on the part of the owner with
knowledge on the part of the taker that possession has
been so obtained;
(d) by :finding, where at the time of the finding the
finder believes that the owner can be discovered by taking
reasonable steps;
(ii) the expression "carries away" includes any removal
of anything from the place which it occupies, but in the case
of a thing attached, only if it has been completely detached;
(iii) the expression " owner " includes any part owner, or
person having possession or control of, or a special property
in, anything capable of being stolen.
{3) Everything which has value and is the property of
any person, and if adhering to the realty then after severance
therefrom, shall be capable of being stolen:
Provided that-
(a) save as hereinafter expressly provided with respect
to fixtures, growing things, and ore from mines, anything
attached to or forming part of the realty shall not be
capable of being stolen by the person who severs the same
from the realty, unless after severance he has abandoned
possession thereof; and
(b) the carcase of a creature wild by nature and not
reduced into possession while living shall not be capable of
being stolen by the person who has killed such creature,
unless after killing it he has abandoned possession of the
carcase.
2. Stealing for which no special punishment is provided
under this or any other Act for the time being in force shall
be simple larceny and a felony punishable with penal servitude
for any term not exceeding five years, and the offender, if
a male under the age of sixteen years, shall be liable to be once
privately whipped in addition to any other punishment to which
he may by law be liable.
3. Every person who steals any horse, cattle, or sheep shall
be guilty of felony, and on conviction thereof liable to penal
servitude for any term not exceeding fourteen years.
4. Every person who wilfully kills any animal with intent
to steal the carcase skin, or any part of the animal killed, shall
be guilty of felony, and on conviction thereof liable to the same
unishment as if he had stolen such animal, provided that the
~:ffence of stealing the animal so killed would have amounted to
felony.
5. Every person who-
(1) steals any dog after
of any such offence; or
a prevwus summary conviction
(2) unlawfully has in his possession or on his premises
any stolen dog, or the skin thereof, knowing such dog or
skin to have been stolen, after a previous summary conviction
of any such offence; or
(3) corruptly takes any money or reward, directly or
indirectly, under pretence or upon account of aiding any
person to recover any stolen dog, or any dog which is in the
possession of any person not being the owner thereof;
shall be guilty of a misdemeanour, and on conviction thereof
liable to imprisonment for any term not exceeding eighteen
months, with or without hard labour.
6. Every person who steals any will, codicil, or other testamentary instrument, either of a dead or of a living person, shall
be guilty of felony, and on conviction thereof liable to penal
servitude for life.
7. Every person who steals the whole or any part of-
(1) any document of title to lands; or
(2) any record, writ, return, panel, petition, process, interrogatory, deposition, affidavit, rule, order, warrant of attorney,
or any original document of or belonging to any court of
record, or relating to any cause or matter, civil or criminal,
begun, depending, or terminated in any such court; or
(3) any original document relating to the business of any
office or employment under His Majesty, and being or
remaining in any office appertaining to any court of justice,
or in any of His Majesty's castles, palaces, or houses, or in
any Government or public office;
shall be guilty of felony, and on conviction thereof liable to
penal servitude for any term not exceeding five years.
8. Every person who-
(1) steals, or, with intent to steal, rips cuts severs or
breaks-
(a) any glass or woodwork belonging to any building; or
Larceny, etc.
of dogs.
wills.
documents
of title to
lands and
other legal
documents.
Damaging
fixtures,
trees, etc.,
with intent
to steal.
goods in
process of
manufacture.
Abstracting
of electricity.
(b) any metal or utensil or fixture, fixed in or to any
building; or
(c) anything made of metal fixed in any land being
private property, or as a fence to any dwelling-house,
garden or area, or in any square or street, or in any place
dedicated to public use or ornament, or in any burial
ground;
(2) steals, or, with intent to steal, cuts, breaks, roots up
or otherwise destroys or damages the whole or any part of
any tree, sapling, shrub, or underwood growing-
(a) in any place whatsoever, the value of the article
stolen or the injury done being to the amount of one
shilling at the least, after two previous summary convictions of any such offence; or
(b) in any park, pleasure ground, garden, orchard, or
avenue, or in any ground adjoining or belonging to any
dwelling-house, the value of the articles stolen or the
injury done exceeding the amount of one pound; or
(c) in any place whatsoever, the value of the article
stolen or the injury done exceeding the amount of five
pounds;
(3) steals, or with intent to steal, destroys or damages
any plant, root, fruit, or vegetable production growing in
any garden, orchard, pleasure ground, nursery ground,
hothouse, greenhouse or conservatory, after a previous
summary conviction of any such offence;
shall be guilty of felony, and on conviction thereof liable to be
punished as in the case of simple larceny.
9. Every person who steals, to the value of ten shillings,
any woollen, linen, hempen or cotton yarn, or any goods or
article of silk, woollen, linen, cotton, alpaca or mohair, or of any
one or more of those materials mixed with each other, or mixed
with any other material, whilst laid, placed or exposed, during
any stage, process or progress of manufacture in any building,
field or other place, shall be guilty of felony and on conviction
thereof liable to penal servitude for any term not exceeding
fourteen years.
10. Every person who maliciously or fraudulently abstracts,
causes to be wasted or diverted, consumes or uses any electricity
shall be guilty of felony, and on conviction thereof liable to be
punished as in the case of simple larceny.
11. Every person who steals, or severs with intent to steal,
the ore of any metal, or any lapis calaminaris, manganese,
umndick, wad, black cawke, black lead, coal, or cannel coal
from any mine bed or vein thereof, shall be guilty of felony and
on conviction thereof liable to imprisonment for any term not
exceeding two years with or without hard labour.
12. (Not applied.)
13. Every person who steals in any dwelling-house any
chattel, money, or valuable security shall-
(a) if the value of the property stolen amounts to five
pounds; or
(b) if he by any menace or threat puts any person being in
such dwelling-house in bodily fear;
be guilty of felony and on conviction thereof liable to penal
servitude for any term not exceeding fourteen years.
14. Every person who steals any chattel, money, or valuable
security from the person of another shall be guilty of felony
and on conviction thereof liable to penal servitude for any term
not exceeding fourteen years.
15. Every person who steals-
(1) any goods in any vessel, barge or boat of any description in any haven or any port of entry or discharge or
upon any navigable river or canal or in any creek or basin
belonging to or communicating with any such haven, port,
river, or canal; or
(2) any goods from any dock, wharf or quay adjacent to
any such haven, port, river, canal, creek, or basin; or
(3) any part of any vessel in distress, wrecked, stranded, or
cast on shore, or any goods, merchandise, or articles of any
kind belonging to such vessel;
shall be guilty of felony and on conviction thereof liable to penal
servitude for any term not exceeding fourteen years.
16. Every person who, being a tenant or lodger, or the
husband or wife of any tenant or lodger, steals any chattel or
fixture let to be used by such person in or with any house or
lodging shall be guilty of felony and on conviction thereof
liable-
(a) if the value of such chattel or fixture exceeds the sum
of five pounds, to penal servitude for any term not exceeding
seven years;
Larceny, etc.,
of ore from
mines.
Larceny in
dwellinghouses.
Larceny from
the person.
Larceny from
ships, docks,
etc.
Larceny by
tenants or
lodgers.
Larceny and
embezzlement by
clerks or
servants.
Conversion.
(b) in all other cases, to imprisonment for any term not
exceeding two years, with or without hard labour;
(c) in any case, if a male under the age of sixteen years
to be once privately whipped in addition to any othe~
17. Every person who-
(1) being a clerk or servant or person employed in the
capacity of a clerk or servant-
(a) steals any chattel, money or valuable security
belonging to or in the possession or power of his master or
employer; or
(b) fraudulently embezzles the whole or any part of
any chattel, money or valuable security delivered to or
received or taken into possession by him for or in the
name or on the account of his master or employer;
(2) being employed in the public service of His Majesty
or in the police of any place whatsoever-
(a) steals any chattel, money, or valuable security
belonging to or in the possession of His Majesty or entrusted
to or received or taken into possession by such person by
virtue of his employment; or
(b) embezzles or in any manner fraudulently applies or
disposes of for any purpose whatsoever except for the
public service any chattel, money or valuable security
entrusted to or received or taken into possession by him
by virtue of his employment;
(3) (Not applied.)
penal servitude for any term not exceeding fourteen years, and
in the case of a clerk or servant or person employed for the
purpose or in the capacity of a clerk or servant, if a male under
the age of sixteen years, to be once privately whipped in addition to any other punishment to which he may by law be
liable.
18. (Not applied.)
19. (Not applied.)
20. (I) Every person who-
(i) being entrusted either solely or jointly with any other
person with any power of attorney for the sale or transfer
of any property, fraudulently sells, transfers, or otherwise
converts the property or any part thereof to his own use or
benefit, or the use or benefit of any person other than the
person by whom he was so entrusted; or
(ii) being a director, member or officer of any body corporate or public company, fraudulently takes or applies for
his own use or benefit, or for any use or purposes other than
the use or purposes of such body corporate or public company, any of the property of such body corporate or public
company; or
(iii) being authorised to receive money to arise from the
sale of any annuities or securities purchased, or transferred
under the provisions of Part V of the Municipal Corporations
Act, 1882, or under any Act repealed by that Act, or under 45 _& 46 Viet.
the Municipal Corporation Mortgages, etc., Act, 1860, or c. oo.
any dividends thereon, or any other such money as is referred 23 & 24 Viet.
to in the said Acts, appropriates the same otherwise than as c. 16'
directed by the said Acts or by the Local Government Board
or the Treasury (as the case may be) in pursuance thereof; or
(iv) (a) being entrusted either solely or jointly with any
other person with any property in order that he may retain
in safe custody or apply, pay, or deliver, for any purpose
or to any person, the property or any part thereof or any
proceeds thereof; or
(b) having either solely or jointly with any other person
received any property for or on account of any other person;
fraudulently converts to his own use or benefit, or the use or
benefit of any other person, the property or any part thereof
or any proceeds thereof;
liable to penal servitude for any term not exceeding seven years.
(2) Nothing in paragraph (iv) of sub-section (I) of this
section shall apply to or affect any trustee under any express
trust created by a deed or will, or any mortgagee of any property,
real or personal, in respect of any act done by the trustee or
mortgagee in relation to the property comprised in or affected
by any such trust or mortgage.
21. Every person who, being a trustee as hereinafter defined, Cbonversion
f .c h b fi . h h II . '1 y trustee.
o any property 10r t e use or ene t mt er w o y or partial y
of some other person, or for any public or charitable purpose,
with intent to defraud converts or appropriates the· same or
any part thereof to or for his own use or benefit, or the use or
benefit of any person other than such person as aforesaid, or
for any purpose other than such public or charitable purpose as
Factors
obtaining
advances on
the property
of their
principals.
aforesaid, or otherwise disposes of or destroys such property or
any part thereof, shall be guilty of a misdemeanour and on
conviction thereof liable to penal servitude for any term not
exceeding seven years:
Provided that no prosecution for any offence included in
this section shall be commenced-
(a) by any person without the sanction of the Attorney
General, or, in case that office be vacant, of the Solicitor
General;
(b) by any person who has taken any civil proceedings
against such trustee, without the sanction also of the court
or judge before whom such civil proceedings have been had
or are pending.
22. (1) Every person who, being a factor or agent entrusted
either solely or jointly with any other person for the purpose
of sale or otherwise, with the possession of any goods or of any
document of title to goods contrary to or without the authority
of his principal in that behalf for his own use or benefit, or the
use or benefit of any person other than the person by whom he
was so entrusted, and in violation of good faith-
(i) consigns, deposits, transfers, or delivers any goods or
document of title so entrusted to him as and by way of a
pledge, lien, or security for any money or valuable security
borrowed or received, or intended to be borrowed or received
by him; or
(ii) accepts any advance of any money or valuable security
on the faith of any contract or agreement to consign, deposit,
transfer, or deliver any such goods or document of title;
shall be guilty of a misdemeanour, and on conviction thereof,
liable to penal servitude for any term not exceeding seven
years:
Provided that no such factor or agent shall be liable to any
prosecution for consigning, depositing, transferring or delivering
any such goods or documents of title, in case the same shall
not be made a security for or subject to the payment of any
greater sum of money than the amount which at the time of
such consignment, deposit, transfer, or delivery, was justly due
and owing to such agent from his principal, together with the
amount of any bill of exchange drawn by or on account of such
principal and accepted by such factor or agent.
(2) (a) Any factor or agent entrusted as aforesaid and in
possession of any document of title to goods shall be deemed to
:::n-en_t_r_u-st_e_d_w-it-:-:-:-:-:-yo-:-s-~-~,-:-o:-1
-:-f-th_e_g_o-od_s_r_e_p_r_e-se_n_t_e_d----2 -21
by such document of title.
(b) Every contract pledging or giving a lien upon such
document of title as aforesaid shall be deemed to be a pledge
of and lien upon the goods to which the same relates.
,i.:i ~;~:~ t~:~:; !~~£~;~~th::~~;;~;~::!e;~:::~::~:to his control, or for him or on his behalf.
(d) Where any loan or advance is made in good faith to any
factor or agent entrusted with and in possession of any such
goods or document of title on the faith of any contract or
agreement in writing to consign, deposit, transfer, or deliver
such goods or documents of title and such goods or documents
of title are actually received by the person making such loan
or advance, without notice that such factor or agent was not
authorised to make such pledge or security, every such loan
or advance shall be deemed to be a loan or advance on the
security of such goods or documents of title and within the
meaning of this section, though such goods or documents of
title are not actually received by the person making such loan
or advance till the period subsequent thereto.
(e) Any payment made whether by money or bill of exchange
or other negotiable security shall be deemed to be an advance
within the meaning of this section.
(f) Any contract or agreement whether made direct with
such factor or agent as aforesaid or with any person on his
behalf shall be deemed to be a contract or agreement with such
factor or agent.
(g) Any factor or agent entrusted as aforesaid, and in possession of any goods or document of title to goods shall be deemed,
for the purposes of this section, to have been entrusted therewith by the owner thereof, unless the contrary be shown in
evidence.
23. (1) Every person who-
(a) being armed with any offensive weapon or instrument,
or being together with one other person or more, robs, or
assaults with intent to rob, any person;
(b) robs any person and, at the time of or immediately
before or immediately after such robbery, uses any personal
violence to any person;
S.L.-VoL. I-19
Robbery.
Sacrilege.
Burglary.
Housebreaking and
committing
felony.
penal servitude for life, and, in addition, if a male, to be once
privately whipped.
(2) Every person who robs any person shall be guilty of
felony and on conviction thereof liable to penal servitude for
any term not exceeding fourteen years.
(3) Every person who assaults any person with intent to rob
penal servitude for any term not exceeding five years.
24. Every person who-
( I) breaks and enters any place of divine worship and
commits any felony therein; or
(2) breaks out of any place of divine worship, having
committed any felony therein;
shall be guilty of felony called sacrilege and on conviction
thereof liable to penal servitude for life.
25. Every person who in the night-
(1) breaks and enters the dwelling-house of another with
intent to commit any felony therein; or
(2) breaks out of the dwelling-house of another, having-
(a) entered the said dwelling-house with intent to commit any felony therein; or
(b) committed any felony in the said dwelling-house;
shall be guilty of felony called burglary, and on conviction
thereof liable to penal servitude for life.
26. Every person who-
( I) breaks and enters any dwelling-house, or any building
within the curtilage thereof and occupied therewith, or any
school-house, shop, warehouse, counting-house, office, store,
garage, pavilion, factory, or workshop, or any building
belonging to His Majesty, or to any Government Department,
or to any municipal or other public authority, and commits
any felony therein; or
(2) breaks out of the same, having committed any felony
therein;
penal servitude for any term not exceeding fourteen years.
Hous~- . h 27. Every person who, with intent to commit any felony
breaking Wit h .
intent to t ereincommit
felony. (I) enters any dwelling-house in the night; or
. Larceny Act, 1916
(2) breaks and enters any dwelling-house, place of divine
worship or any building within the curtilage, or any schoolhouse, shop, warehouse, counting-house, office, store, garage,
pavilion, factory, or workshop, or any building belonging to
His Majesty, or to any Government Department, or to any
municipal or other public authority;
penal servitude for any term not exceeding seven years.
28. Every person who shall be found by night-
Being found
by night,
(1) armed with any dangerous or offensive weapon or armed ?r inf
. . h . b k . b "ld" possessiOn o
mstrument, w1t mtent to rea or enter mto any Ul mg houseand to commit any felony therein· or ?reaking
' Implements.
(2) having in his possession without lawful excuse (the
proof whereof shall lie on such person) any key, picklock,
crow, jack, bit, or other implement of house-breaking; or
(3) having his face blackened or disguised with intent to
commit any felony; or
(4) in any building with intent to commit any felony
therein;
liable-
(a) if he has been previously convicted of any such misdemeanour or of any felony, to penal servitude for any term
not exceeding ten years;
(b) in all other cases, to penal servitude for any term not
exceeding five years.
29. (1) Every person who-
(i) utters, knowing the contents thereof, any letter or
writing demanding of any person with menaces, and without
any reasonable or probable cause, any property or valuable
thing;
(ii) utters, knowmg the contents thereof, any letter or
writing accusing or threatening to accuse any other person
(whether living or dead) of any crime to which this section
applies, with intent to extort or gain thereby any property
or valuable thing from any person;
(iii) with intent to extort or gain any property or valuable
thing from any person accuses or threatens to accuse either
that person or any other person (whether living or dead) of
any such crime;
S.L.-VoL. l-19*
Demanding
money, eta
with
menaces.
Demanding
with
menaces,
with intent
to steal.
Threatening
to publish,
with intent to
extort.
shall be guilty of felony; and on conviction thereof liable to
penal servitude for life, and, if a male under the age of sixteen
years, to be once privately whipped in addition to any other
(2) Every person who with intent to defraud or injure any
other person-
(a) by any unlawful violence to or restraint of the person
of another; or
(b) by accusing or threatening to accuse any person
(whether living or dead) of any such crime or of any felony;
compels or induces any person to execute, make, accept,
endorse, alter, or destroy the whole or any part of any valuable
security, or to write, impress, or affix the name of any person,
company, firm or co-partnership, or the seal of any body
corporate, company or society upon or to any paper or parchment in order that it may be afterwards made or converted into
or used or dealt with as a valuable security, shall be guilty of
felony and on conviction thereof liable to penal servitude for
life. ·
(3) This section applies to any crime punishable with death,
or penal servitude for not less than seven years, or any assault
with intent to commit any rape, or any attempt to commit
any rape, or any solicitation, persuasion, promise, or threat
offered or made to any person, whereby to move or induce such
person to commit or permit the abominable crime of buggery,
either with mankind or with any animal.
(4) For the purposes of this Act it is immaterial whether
any menaces or threats be of violence, injury, or accusation to
be caused or made by the offender or by any other person.
30. Every person who with menaces or by force demands of
any person anything capable of being stolen with intent to
steal the same shall be guilty of felony and on conviction thereof
liable to penal servitude for any term not exceeding five years.
31. Eve~ person who with intent-
(a) to extort any valuable thing from any person; or
· (b) to induce any person to confer or procure for any
person any appointment or office of profit or trust-
(1) publishes or threatens to publish any libel upon any
other person (whether living or dead); or
(2) directly or indirectly threatens to print or publish,
or directly or indirectly proposes to abstain from or offers
to prevent the printing or publishing of any matter or
thing touching any other person (whether living or dead);
liable to imprisonment, with or without hard labour, for any
term not exceeding two years.
32. Every person who by any false pretence-
( I) with intent to defraud, obtains from any other person
any chattel, money, or valuable security, or causes or procures
any money to be paid, or any chattel or valuable security to
be delivered to himself or to any other person for the use or
benefit or on account of himself or any other person; or
(2) with intent to defraud or injure any other person,
fraudulently causes or induces any other person-
(a) to execute, make, accept, endorse, or destroy the
whole or any part of any valuable security; or
(b) to write, impress, or affix his name or the name of
any other person, or the seal of any body corporate or
society, upon any paper or parchment in order that the
same may be afterwards made or converted into, or used
or dealt with as, a valuable security;
liable to penal servitude for any term not exceeding five years.
33. (1) Every perso:rf who receives .any property knowing the
same to have been stolen or obtained in any way whatsoever
under circumstances which amount to felony or misdemeanour,
shall be guilty of an offence of the like degree (whether felony
or misdemeanour) and on conviction thereof liable-
(a) in the case of felony, to penal servitude for any term
not exceeding fourteen years;
(b) in the case of misdemeanour, to penal servitude for
any term not exceeding seven years;
(c) in either case, if a male under the age of sixteen years,
to be once privately whipped in addition to any punishment
to which he may by law be liable.
(3) Every such person may be indicted and convicted,
whether the principal offender has or has not been previously
convicted, or is or is not amenable to justice.
(4) Every person who, without lawful excuse, knowing the
same to have been stolen or obtained in any way whatsoever
pretences.
Receiving.
Corruptly
taking a
reward.
Accessories
and abettors.
Hilsband and
wife.
Punishments.
under such circumstances that if the act had been committed
in the United Kingdom the person committing it would have
been guilty of felony or misdemeanour, receives or has in his
possession any property so stolen or obtained outside the
United Kingdom, shall be guilty of an offence of the like degree
(whether felony or misdemeanour) and on conviction thereof
liable to penal servitude for any term not exceeding seven years.
34. Every person who corruptly takes any money or reward,
directly or indirectly, under pretence or upon account of
helping any person to recover any property which has, under
circumstances which amount to felony or misdemeanour, been
stolen or obtained in any way whatsoever, or received, shall
(unless he has used all due diligence to cause the offender to
be brought to trial for the same) be guilty of felony and on
conviction thereof liable to penal servitude for any term not
exceeding seven years, and, if a male under the age of sixteen
years, to be once privately whipped in addition to any other
~35. Every person who knowingly and wilfully aids, abets,
counsels, procures or commands the commission of an offence
punishable under this Act shall be liable to be dealt with,
indicted, tried and punished as a principal offender.
36. (1) A wife shall have the same remedies and redress
under this A~t for the protection and security of her o;wn
separate property as if such property belonged to her as a
feme sole:
Provided that no proceedings under this Act shall be taken
by any wife against her husband while they are living together
as to or concerning any property claimed by her, nor while
they are living apart as to or concerning any act' done by the
husband while they were living together concerning property
claimed by the wife, unless such property has been wrongfully
taken by the husband when leaving or deserting or about to
leave or desert his wife.
(2) A wife doing an act with respect to any property of her
husband, which, if done by the husband in respect to property
of the wife, would make the husband liable to criminal proceedings by the wife under this Act, shall be in like manner
liable to criminal proceedings by her husband.
37. (1) Every person who commits the offence of simple
larceny after having been previously convicted of felony shall
be liable to penal servitude for any term not exceeding ten years.
,ffiW:.~:::r
Mm~:@
~@
~r
!:l:::
'::
(2) Every person who commits the offence of simple larceny,
or any offence made punishable like simple larceny, after having
been previously convicted-
(a) of any indictable misdemeanour punishable under this
Act; or
(b) twice summarily of any offence punishable under
section six of the Summary Jurisdiction (Ireland) Act, 1851,
or under the Larceny Act, 1861, or under the Malicious
Damage Act, 1861, or under this Act (whether each of the
convictions has· been in respect of an offence of the same
description or not, and whether such convictions, or either
of them, have been before or after the passing of this Act);
shall be liable to penal servitude for any term not exceeding
seven years.
(3) In every case in this section before mentioned the
offender, if a male under the age of sixteen years, shall be
liable to be once privately whipped in addition to any other
(4) Where a sentence of penal servitude may be imposed on
conviction of an offence against this Act, the court may instead
thereof impose a sentence of imprisonment, with or without
hard labour, for not more than two years.
(5) (a) On conviction of a misdemeanour punishable under
this Act the court, instead of or in addition to any other punishment which may be lawfully imposed, may fine the offender.
(b) On conviction of a felony punishable under this Act the
court, in addition to imposing a sentence of penal servitude or
imprisonment, may require the offender to enter into his own
recognisances, with or without sureties, for keeping the peace
and being of good behaviour.
(c) On conviction of a misdemeanour punishable under this
Act the court, instead of or in addition to any other punishment
which may lawfully be imposed for the offence, may require the
offender to enter into his own recognisances, with or without
sureties, for keeping the peace and being of good behaviour.
(d) Provided that a person shall not be imprisoned for more
than one year for not finding sureties.
(6) (Not appl~ed.)
38. (Not applied.)
14 & 15 Viet.
c. 92.
24 & 25 Viet.
c. 96.
24 & 25 Viet.
c. 97.
39. (1) A person charged with any offence against this Act Venue.
may be proceeded against, indicted, tried, and punished in
228 Larceny Act, 1916
any county or place in which he was apprehended or IS m
custody as if the offence had been committed in that county
or place; and for all purposes incidental to or consequential on
the prosecution, trial, or punishment of the offence, it shall be
deemed to have been committed in that county or place.
(2) Every person who steals or otherwise feloniously takes
any property in any one part of the United Kingdom may be
dealt with, indicted, tried, and punished in any other part of
the United Kingdom where he has the property in his possession
in the same manner as if he had actually stolen or taken it
in that part.
(3) Every person who receives in any one part of the United
Kingdom any property stolen or otherwise feloniously taken
in any other part of the United Kingdom may be dealt with,
indicted, tried, and punished in that part of the United Kingdom
where he so receives the property in the same manner as if it
had been originally stolen or taken in that part.
40. Procedure.
(I) On the trial of an indictment for obtaining or attempting to ob1ain any chattel, money, or valuable security
by any false pretence, it shall not be necessary to prove an
intent to defraud any particular person, but it shall be sufficient
to prove that the person accused did the act charged with intent
to defraud.
(2) An allegation in an indictment that money or banknotes
have been embezzled or obtained by false pretences can, so
far as regards the description of the property, be sustained by
proof that the offender embezzled or obtained any piece of
coin or any banknote or any portion of the value thereof,
although such piece of coin or banknote may have been
delivered to him in order that some part of the value thereof
should be returned to any person and such part has been
returned accordingly.
(3) In an indictment for feloniously receiving any property
under this Act any number of persons who have at different
times so received such property or any part thereof may be
charged and tried together.
(4) If any person, who is a member of any co-partnership or
is one of two or more beneficial owners of any property, steals or
embezzles any such property of or belonging to such copartnership or to such beneficial owners he shall be liable to
be dealt with, tried, and punished as if he had not been or was
not a member of such co-partnership 'Or one of such beneficial
owners.
Larceny Act, 1916 229
(5) (Not applied.)
41. (Not applied.)
42. (Not applied.)
43. (I) Whenever any person is being proceeded against for Evidence.
receiving any property, knowing it to have been stolen, or for
having in his possession stolen property, for the purpose of
proving guilty knowledge there may be given in evidence at
any stage of the proceedings-
(a) the fact that other property stolen within the period of
twelve months preceding the date of the offence charged was
found or had been in his possession;
(b) the fact that within the five years preceding the date
of the offence charged he was convicted of any offence
involving fraud or dishonesty.
This last-mentioned fact may not be proved unless-
(i) seven days' notice in writing has been given to the
offender th~t proof of such previous conviction is intended
to be given;
(ii) evidence has been given that the property in respect
of which the offender is being tried was found or had been
in his possession.
(2) No person shall be liable to be convicted of any offence
against sections six, seven subsection (l ), twenty, twenty-one,
and twenty-two of this Act upon any evidence whatever in
respect of any act done by him, if at any time previously to his
being charged with such offence he has first disclosed such
act on oath, in consequence of any compulsory process of any
court of law or equity in any action, suit, or proceeding which
has been bona fide instituted by any person aggrieved.
(3) In any proceedings in respect of any offence against
sections six, seven subsection (1 ), twenty, twenty-one, and
twenty-two of this Act, a statement or admission made by any
person in any compulsory examination or deposition before any
court on the hearing of any matter in bankruptcy shall not be
admissible in, evidence against that person.
44. (Not applied.)
45. (Not applied.)
46. (l) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requiresthe expression " chief officer of police " means-
Interpretation,
230 Larceny Act, 1916
(a) in the city of London, the Commissioner of City
Police;
(b) in the Metropolitan Police District, the Commissioner
of Police of the Metropolis;
(c) in any other police district in England, the officer
having the chief command of the police in such police
district;
(d) in the police district of Dublin Metropolis, either of
the commissioners of police for the said district;
(e) in any other police district in Ireland, the subinspector of the Royal Irish Constabulary;
and shall include any person authorised by such said chief
officer of police to act in his behalf;
the expression " document of title to goods " includes any
bill of lading, India warrant, dock warrant, warehouse
keeper's certificate, warrant or order for the delivery or
transfer of any goods or valuable thing, bought or sold note,
or any other document used in the ordinary course of business
as proof of the possession or control of goods, or authorising
or purporting to authorise, either by endorsement or by
delivery, the possessor of such document to transfer or
receive any goods thereby represented or therein mentioned
or referred to ; .
the expression " document of title to lands " includes any
deed, map, roll, register, paper, or parchment, written or
printed, or partly written and partly printed, being or
containing evidence of the title, or any part of the title, to
any real estate or to any interest in or out of any real estate;
the expression "mail," "mail bag," "officer of the Post
Office," " postal packet," "post office," and "in course of
transmission by post," shall have the same meanings in this
Act as in the Post Office Act, 1908;
the expression " night " means the interval between nine
o'clock in the evening and six o'clock in the morning of the
next succeeding day;
the expression " property " includes any description of
real and personal property, money, debts, and legacies, and
all deeds and instruments relating to or evidencing the title
or right to any property, or giving a right to recover or receive
any money or goods, and also includes not only such property
as has been originally in the possession or under the control
of any person, but also any property into or for which the
same has been converted or exchanged, and anything acquired by such conversion or exchange, whether immediately
or otherwise; ~:
,.
r
~
~
'l
~
_________L_a_r_ce_n_y_A_ct_,_1_9_16____________2_3_1
the expression " trustee " means a trustee on some express
trust created by some deed, will, or instrument in writing, and
includes the heir or personal representative of any such
trustee, and any other person upon or to whom the duty
of such trust shall have devolved or come, and also an executor
and administrator, and an official receiver, assignee, liquidator,
or other like officer acting under any present or future Act
relating to joint stock companies or bankruptcy;
the expression " valuable security " includes any writing
entitling or evidencing the title of any person to any share
or interest in any public stock, annuity, fund, or debt of
any part of His Majesty's Dominions, or of any foreign state,
or in any stock, annuity, fund, or debt of any body corporate,
company, or society, whether within or without His Majesty's
Dominions, or to any deposit in any bank, and also includes
any scrip, debenture, bill, note, warrant, order, or other
security for payment of money, or any accountable receipt,
release, or discharge, or any receipt or other instrument
evidencing the payment of money, or the delivery of any
chattel personal, and any document of title to lands or goods
as hereinbefore defined.
{2) The expression "dwelling-house" does not include a
building although within the same curtilage with any dwellinghouse and occupied therewith unless there is a communication
between such building and dwelling-house, either immediate
or by means .of a covered and enclosed passage leading from
one to the other.
{3) References in this Act to any Act in force at the commencement of this Act shall be held to include a reference to
that Act as amended, extended, or applied by any other Act.
47. (l) Where, by virtue of some other Act, an offence Savings.
against this Act subjects the offender to any forfeiture or
disqualification, or to any penalty other than penal servitude
or fine, the liability of the offender to punishment under this
Act shall be in addition to and not in substitution for his
liability under such other Act.
(2) Where an offence against this Act is by any other Act,
whether passed before or after the commencement of this Act,
made punishable on summary conviction, proceedings may be
taken either under such other Act or under this Act:
Provided that where such an offence was at the commencement
of this Act punishable only on summary conviction, it shall
remain only so punishable.
Short title
and commencement.
48. (1) The enactments specified in the Schedule to this Act
are hereby repealed as to England and Ireland to the extent
specified in the third column thereof.
49. (Not applied.)
50. This Act may be cited as the Larceny Act, 1916, and
shall come into operation on the first day of January nineteen
hundred and seventeen.
* The schedule is omitted from this printing of the sections which have been applied.
Check the current official version before relying on this text. MiLAWYER shares legal information, not legal advice.