§ RPA 1983 s. 13D(untitled)

1 A person who for any purpose connected with the registration of electors provides to a registration officer any false information is guilty of an offence. 1A A person who provides false information in connection with an application (other than an application relating only to a local government election in Scotland) to which any of the following provisions of Schedule 4 to the Representation of the People Act 2000 (applications relating to absent voting) applies is guilty of an offence— a paragraph 3(1) or (2); b paragraph 4(1) or (2); c paragraph 7(4). 2 A person who provides false information to the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland for the purpose of obtaining the dispensation referred to in section 10(4B), 10A(1B) or 13A(2B) above is guilty of an offence. 3 In relation to a signature, “ false information ” for the purposes of subsection (1) or (1A) means a signature which— a is not the usual signature of; or b was written by a person other than, the person whose signature it purports to be. 4 A person does not commit an offence under subsection (1) or (1A) above if he did not know, and had no reason to suspect, that the information was false. 5 Where sufficient evidence is adduced to raise an issue with respect to the defence under subsection (4) above, the court shall assume that the defence is satisfied unless the prosecution proves beyond reasonable doubt that it is not. 6 A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on summary conviction to— a imprisonment for a term not exceeding 51 weeks ; or b a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or to both. 7 In the application of subsection (6)(a) to Scotland and Northern Ireland, the reference to 51 weeks must be taken to be a reference to six months. 8 In relation to an offence committed before the commencement of section 281(5) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, the reference in subsection (6)(a) to 51 weeks must be taken to be a reference to six months.