ABSTRACT
Non-fatal offences against the person usually require some kind of infliction of force upon the body. The offence charged will depend on the seriousness of the injury inflicted and the mental element of the defendant. Non-fatal offences against the person will be explored in detail in this chapter. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780203784174/0b470d65-8fae-470f-8598-83645e36121d/content/fig09_u1_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
The offences listed above are very old criminal offences.
Assault and battery are founded in common law (although the Criminal Justice Act 1988 recognises their existence).
Actual bodily harm, malicious wounding and grievous bodily harm are statutory offences dating back to 1861.
