Criminal(Law(Notes!
Assault'
• Is#defined#by#common#law#in#Fagan%v%Commissioner%of%Metropolitan%Police)#
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• Penalty#for#common#assault#is#defined#in#s61$of$the$Crimes$Act:#
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• There#are#FOUR#types#of#assaults#à#Hierarchy##
o Common$Assault$(LEAST$SERIOUS)$à$s61$of$the$Crimes$Act#
§ i.e.#touching#someone#or#grabbing#a#handbag#or#threatening#
words#
o Assault$Occasioning$actual$bodily$harm$(AOABH)$à$s59$#
§ Often#during#bar#fights:#
§ Pushing/grabbing#hair#
o Recklessly$causing$grievous$bodily$harm$or$wounding$à$s35#
§ Difference#between#ACTUAL#bodily#harm#and#GREVIOUS#bodily#
harm#is#‘use#of#a#weapon#or#some#form#of#serious#injury’##
o Wound$or$inflict$GBH$with$intent$to$do$GBH$(VERY$SERIOUS)$à$s33#
§ Wounding#(often#with#a#weapon#e.g.#stilettos,#knives,#ropes,#bow#
and#arrow#etc.)#
Assault'Occasioning'Actual'Bodily'Harm'
• In!R'v'Williams'the!court!held!that!in!cases!of!assault!occasioning!in!actual!bodily!
harm,!there!is!no!obligation!to!prove!an!intention.!If!the!assault!(Battery)!took!place!
and!actual!bodily!harm!was!the!consequence,!the!offence!was!made!out!without!the!
need!to!establish!any!fault!element!other!than!the!necessary!intent,!or!foresight,!for!
common!assault.!!
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James'J:'!
§ “An!assault!is!any!act!which!intentionally!–!or!possibly!recklessly!–!causes!
another!person!to!apprehend!immediate!and!unlawful!personal!violence”.!!
§ Any!act!(not!an!omission)!which!directly!and!intentionally!or!recklessly!causes!
another!person!to!apprehend!immediate!and!nonCconsensual!(for! example!violent!
or!offensive)!contact.!!
§ “Assault!is!generally!synonymous!with!the!term!‘battery’!and!is!a!term!used!to!
mean!the!actual!intended!use!of!unlawful!force!to!another!person!without!his!
‘Whosoever!assaults!any!person,!although!not!occasioning!actual!bodily!harm,!shall!
be!liable!to!imprisonment!for!two!years’!!
*Note,#This#section#does#not#provide#a#definition##