ABSTRACT

The material selected for this chapter aims to cover the mainstream non-fatal offences against the person, as well as the related issue of consent to harm. Sexual offences are considered in Chapter 6. The law relating to non-fatal offences against the person is to be found in a hotchpotch of common law and statutory provisions. It is an area crying out for reform and rationalisation. Despite the existence of workable proposals for codification, there is little sign of any government having the desire to take the political initiative.