Assault Causing Actual Bodily Harm

What is Assault Causing Actual Bodily Harm?

Section 59 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) deals with assault causing actual bodily harm and states:

  • any person who assaults another and thereby occasions actual bodily harm, shall be liable to imprisonment for up to five years.
  • If a person is guilty of the offence in the company of another person or persons, the maximum penalty is up to seven years imprisonment.

Proof of occasioning actual bodily harm requires that the harm (i.e. the injury) was caused intentionally or recklessly. There needs to be a real connection between the act and the injury and cannot be a mere transient or trifling act.

What does Prosecution have to Prove?

The prosecution has to prove the following beyond reasonable doubt:

  1. The accused acted in a manner that caused another person to fear immediate and unlawful personal violence or that the accused touched another person without their consent. The threat must be immediate; and
  2. The accused acted intentionally or recklessly as to assault; and
  3. There was no lawful excuse for the actions of the accused; and
  4. There was some form of physical injury caused that was not transient or trifling.

What is the Penalty for Assault Causing Actual Bodily Harm?

The maximum penalty prescribed for assault causing actual bodily harm is 5 years imprisonment, however, it must be noted that the maximum penalty will only apply in the most serious of cases.

Assault causing actual bodily harm falls under Table 2 of Schedule 1 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW). This means that generally the offence is dealt with summarily and prosecuted by the Police, unless the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) elects otherwise.

If the offence is dealt with summarily, it is heard in the Local Court before a Magistrate, however, when the prosecution elects to proceed on indictment the matter is heard in the District Court before a Judge.

What are the Defences Available?

Self-Defence, Necessity and Duress are some of the most common defences available to assault causing actual bodily harm. Consent is not a defence in case of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Unless the action of the accused falls within a lawfully recognised exception or can otherwise be justified (For example, injuries received from playing high contact sport).

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