12.—(1) A person who—

(a) alters or causes or permits the alteration of a licensing document, or

(b) engages in the carriage of goods or passengers by road for reward while in possession of a licensing document that has been altered,

shall be guilty of an offence and be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,500.

(2) A licensing document shall be deemed to be a public document for the purposes of section 4(2) of the Forgery Act, 1913.

(3) In this section, “licensing document” means—

(a) a road freight carrier’s licence,

(b) a road passenger transport operator’s licence,

(c) a Community licence,

(d) a transport disc,

(e) a restricted road freight licence, or

(f) such other document as may be prescribed.