revision poster
Assault
Wounding and GBH
No physical injury and no physical contact with victim (V) = assault (s.39 Criminal
Justice Act 1988).
Actus reus (AR) = causing V to apprehend immediate unlawful
violence
Serious injury = wounding or inflicting grievous bodily harm (GBH) (s.20
OAPA 1861) and wounding or causing GBH with intent (s.18 OAPA 1861)
• Causing = words or actions or both (Read v Coker, 1853). Can include written
communication in any form or even silence (Ireland, 1997; Constanza, 1997; Ramos,
2000).
Actus reus are the same for s.18 and s.20
• Apprehend = V’s belief (Lamb; Ramos; Logdon, 1976). Belief need not be
rational (Ireland; Burstow, 1997).
injury, or the transmission of disease (Dica, 2004; Konzani, 2005).
• Immediate = within the near future, imminent (Smith v Woking, 1983;
Constanza).
Mens rea (MR) = intentionally or recklessly causing the AR
• Wounding = breaking both layers of skin (Eisenhower, 1983).
• GBH = serious (DPP v Smith, 1961) physical or psychiatric (Ireland; Burstow)
Mens rea
• s.20 = intentionally or recklessly causing some harm (Mowatt, 1967).
• s.18 = intention to cause serious harm only. Direct or oblique intention
(Nedrick, 1986; Woollin, 1998).
• Intentionally = defendant’s (D’s) aim or purpose to cause the AR (Mohan, 1976).
• Recklessly = D recognises the risk of causing the AR (Cunningham, 1957).
Battery
No serious injury but contact with V = battery (s.39 Criminal
Justice Act 1988).
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Identify all injuries and their
seriousness to determine the charge
Actus reus = application of unlawful force on V
ABH
Some injury = actual bodily harm (ABH) (s.47 Offences Against the Person Act 1861).
• Any touching V does not consent to. Clothing is sufficient
( Thomas, 1985).
Actus reus = an assault or battery occasioning actual bodily harm
• Everyday social contact will not constitute battery (per Lord
• Establish the assault or battery first.
• Causation establishes the ABH.
• Definition: any hurt or injury calculated to interfere with someone’s health or comfort (Miller, 1954) or
Goff in Collins v Willock, 1984).
• Battery can be committed directly or indirectly (Haystead,
2000; DPP v K, 1990)
any physical injury that is more than trivial (Chan-Fook, 1994). Psychiatric injury must be more than mere
emotions, i.e. there must be clinical evidence of a recognised condition (Chan-Fook; Ireland; Burstow).
Mens rea = intentionally or recklessly causing
the AR
Mens rea = the MR of ABH is the MR for the original assault or battery
• Intentionally = D’s aim or purpose to cause the AR
• Intentionally = D’s aim or purpose to cause assault or battery.
• Recklessly = D recognises the risk of causing assault or battery.
• No additional MR for the injury is required (Savage, 1992).
(Mohan).
• D recognises the risk of causing the AR (Cunningham).
LawReviewExtras
Go to www.hoddereducation.co.uk/lawreviewextras
for a printable PDF of this poster.
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tolia
Non-fatal offences
against the person
A-level Law Review
January 2014
Stephen McAvoy and Marian Tregear teach
law at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College,
Darlington.
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