offences against a person Flashcards
increasing harm
increasing sentence
s18 - wounding or causing GBH with intent
maximum - life
ss 47 and 20
both maximum 5 years sentence
GBH - structure of offences
seriously injures V with knife/other weapon, crown court, or magistrates court
GBH with intent/wounding with intent - structure of offences
D intentionally wounds or causes wounds to the V, can be resisting arrest, crown court.
Assault - Definition
intentionally or recklessly causing the apprehension of immediate unlawful personal violence, result crime, cannot assault yourself
s 39 of Criminal Justice Act 1988
assault
AR: unlawful personal violence
apprehension means subjective (to V) expectation or anticipation, not complete unless they suspect/think violence will follow.
r v ireland
assault, fear that the caller would arrive at their door at any time, where it is clear that the words used to communicate a violence it is enough
tuberville v savage
words can be enough for assault but if they communicate violence it’s not going to be used at that time
AR: Immediate
must be an imminent threat, V’s belief in the nature of the threat
Smith v CS of Woking Police Station
IMMEDIATE - wasn’t necessary to find out what V thought as long as she believed it was of some violent nature and carried out straight away
r v constanza
IMMEDIATE - took V evidence that his behaviour was escalating and anything could happen anytime, threat didn’t have to be directly in front to qualify
battery: definition
intentionally or recklessly causing unlawful personal conduct, completed assault, result crime, V must be another person
AR: unlawful personal contact
there is no minimum level of harm - any touching without consent will do, not complete until contact is made
Faulkner v Talbot
unlawful personal contact - law at the time provided that a boy under 16 couldn’t consent to the touching, unlawful contact made, doesn’t need to be harm caused to the V.
r v Thomas
convicted in Crown court, appeal accepted as wasn’t sexual, said it doesn’t matter is the V touched on skin or clothes, it is unlawful personal contact
Fagan v MPC - unlawful personal contact
caused indirectly - held to constitute indirect physical contact and could form one of these offences
DPP V K - unlawful personal contact
caused indirectly - not necessary for V to know their V, if they put it in intending to hurt someone, it is assault.
r v Martin - unlawful personal contact
caused indirectly - crushed several people, conviction safe.
DPP v Santa-Bermudez - unlawful personal contact
can occur by omission - D convicted of ABH, successfully pleaded to Crown court, appealed the appeal, disagreed as he had created a dangerous situation.
MR for assault and battery
assault - intent or recklessness as to causing the apprehension, battery - intent or recklessness as to causing the unlawful contact.
R v Venna - assault and battery MR
could convict the D if they agreed that their use of force was reckless
s 47 OAPA 1861
assault occasioning actual bodily harm, liable to be imprisoned for any term not exceeding 5 years, must suffer actual bodily harm, is a more serious form of assault
r v miller - AR actual bodily harm
court considers whether the force used could lead to ABH, held that an injury to state of mind is within the criteria if ABH
Ireland and Burstow - psychiatric injury (ABH)
no physical injury but became clinically depressed, mental illness caused needs to be medically recognised
MR Constructive Liability
only requires MR of the base offence - no need to be able to foresee the more serious ABH level harm
R v Roberts - liability is built (constructed)
said he couldn’t foresee her jumping out of the car, taking her jacket off (battery), jumping out (increasing ABH), liability could only be broken if something bizarre occurred to break the causal link.
R v savage - liability is built (constructed)
both convicted of GBH, couldn’t foresee a greater harm occurring because of their actions.
s 20 wound or inflict GBH
maliciously wound or inflict any grievous bodily harm - term not exceeding 5 years.
two ways to breach s 20
wound with malice, inflict GBH with malice, can go to magistrates or Crown court.