ABSTRACT
The law on non-fatal offences is governed by the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. Such offences range from the least serious, a common assault, to the most serious, causing grievous bodily harm with intent. The appropriate charge for a defendant is decided on by looking at the degree of injury suffered by the victim and by the nature of the defendant’s mens rea. The police and the Crown Prosecution Service have produced Joint Charging Standards that include examples of injuries appropriate to particular charges. One example is that an injury such as a scratch or a bruise would only warrant a charge of common assault.
