Assault

The definitive guidelines for sentencing assault offences were issued on 16 March 2011 and came into force on 13 June 2011.

Revisions 2020

The revised sentencing guidelines for assault offences, including common assault and attempted murder, and new guidance for assault on emergency workers were issued on 27 May 2021 and came into force on 1 July 2021.

The following offences are included in the guidelines:

• Common assault – section 39 Criminal Justice Act 1988; Racially/religiously aggravated Common assault – section 29 Crime and Disorder Act 1998; Assault on Emergency Worker – section 1 Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018
• Assault with intent to resist arrest – section 38 Offences Against the Person Act 1861
• Assault occasioning actual bodily harm – section 47 Offences Against the Person Act 1861; Racially/religiously aggravated ABH – section 29 Crime and Disorder Act 1998
• Inflicting grievous bodily harm/Unlawful wounding – section 20 Offences Against the Person Act 1861; Racially/religiously aggravated GBH/Unlawful wounding – section 29 Crime and Disorder Act 1998
• Causing grievous bodily harm with intent to do grievous bodily harm/Wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm – section 18 Offences Against the Person Act 1861
• Attempted murder – s1(1) Criminal Attempts Act 1981

Consultation

The consultation on the original assault guidelines was open from 13 October 2010 to 5 July 2011. We received 394 responses.

Between 16 April 2020 and 15 September 2020, the Council consulted on revisions to the existing assault guidelines and a draft guideline for assault on emergency workers. We received 67 responses.

Related documents

To support the guidelines and consultations, the Council also publishes a range of documents. These documents may include consultation responses, statistical bulletins, resource and equality impact assessments and guideline assessments.

Related documents: Assault