Non-Fatal Offences Flashcards
(53 cards)
What did Legal academic Professor J.C Smith describe the Offences against the Person Act 1861 as?
“ragbag of offences brought together from a wide variety of sources with no attempt…. to introduce consistency as to the substance or as to form”
What act is battery and assault charged under?
S.39 Criminal Justice Act 1988
(summary level)
(basic intent)
( unlimited fine since LASPO 2012 and imprisonment of max 6 months)
State the case and definition of assault
Collins v Wilcock
“an act which causes another person to apprehend the infliction of immediate, unlawful force”
State the case and definition of battery
Collins v Wilcock
“actual infliction of unlawful force”
What must an assault be?
An act
must use words or physical actions to assault, an omission is not sufficient
What did the CA state in the case of Nelson?
“What is required is for D to do something of a physical kind which causes someone else to apprehend that they are about to be struck”
What happened in the case of Logdon? (Physical gesture)
D pointed a fake gun at V. V apprehended immediate unlawful force and D was subjectively reckless as to whether she would apprehend such violence.
What happened in the case of Ireland? (Phone calls)
D made numerous silent phone calls to 3 women who as a result suffered psychological harm. Convicted for a S.47 based on assault.
What happened in the case of Constanza? (written or spoken words)
D had been stalking V, making numerous silent phone calls and sent over 800 letters. D was convicted on a S.47 after the CA rejected the claim that a person cannot apprehend immediate violence unless they see the perpetrator
What happened in the case of Tuberville regarding the use of additional words negating assault?
D put his hand on his sword (physical gesture) however at the same time his words negated the assault/ threat
What happened in the case of Light regarding the use of additional words negating assault?
D raised his sword above his wife’s head and said “were it not for the bloody policeman outside, I would split your head open”. This was still deemed assault as his words were not sufficient enough to negate the assault
What was confirmed in the case of Lamb regarding the actus reus of apprehending ?
Court decided that pointing an unloaded gun at V (who knows it is unloaded) cannot be assault as V does not apprehend
What is the laws opinion regarding the actus reus of assault “immediate”?
Does not simple mean instantaneous, instead it means “imminent”
What happened in the case of Smith?
V from her ground floor bedroom saw D standing outside in her garden at night. Although D was outside and no attack could be amde at the immediate moment D was convicted of assault as V did apprehend. Apprehension of what the D could do next.
What is the laws view regarding the actus reus “unlawful force” of assault?
Apprehension of any unlawful force is sufficient
=If the force is lawful then there can be assault
Why is the actus reus of “force” regarding battery slightly misleading?
=battery can be the slightest touch, there is no need to prove that any harm or pain was caused, a more accurate description would be “unlawful contact”
State the laws view on the application of force regarding battery
Collins v Wilcock
“It has long been established that any touching of another person, however slight, may amount to battery”
What happened in the case of Thomas? (actus reus- clothing)
D touched the hem of a 12 year old girls skirt. CA said in Obiter that touching someone’s clothes whilst they are wearing them is “equivalent to touching him/her”
What happened in the case of Fagon? (Actus reus- continuing act)
D accidental drove his car over police however after failing to remove it after, led to the formation of his mens rea. Therefore the AR was a continuing act
What happened in the case of DPP v K?
School boy took sulphuric acid from lesson and hid it hairdryer. Student used hairdryer and was sprayed with the acid. D convicted of S.47
True or false battery can be committed as an omission?
True
But only where D was under a duty to act
What happened in the case of Santana-Bermudez?
D said there was no needles on his person when asked by police officer before searching him. She put her hands in his pockets and was pricked by needle. D omission led to the creation of a dangerous situation
Regarding the mens rea of Battery “unlawful force” state a case
Collins v Wilcock
Police have legal authority when arresting suspect however if officer makes contact for no legal reason they are committing battery. Police tried to grab women to prevent her from leaving station, she scratched him. Her conviction for battery dropped as she was acting in self-defence
When can the courts imply our consent to contact?
Collins v Wilcock
“everyday jostle”