The King's Law/Guard's Handbook

A Guide to the King's Law - Guard's Handbook

This handbook is intended as a quick-reference guide for law enforcement personnel and should not be treated as a judicial interpretation of the law itself.

Offences Against the Person

Offences Against the Person are those which involve the threat or use of violence, as well as the infliction of harm. Offences Against the Person also apply to Magic related incidents.

Offence	Description	Severity
Common Assault †	When a person intentionally or recklessly causes another to suffer or apprehend immediate unlawful violence. (I.e. Direct threats of imminent violence, spitting, a missed punch, etc.) The person should be charged with ‘Assault by Beating’ provided there has been an intentional or reckless application of unlawful force. This carries the same sentence. (Assault by Beating should be used for minor injury i.e. some bruises, bloody nose, minor cuts etc.)	Summary Low
Actual Bodily Harm (ABH) †	When a person physically attacks another causing injury. (Cuts and severe bruising etc.)	Summary Medium
Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) †	When a person physically attacks another causing a serious injury. (Broken bones, serious bruising, bad cuts etc.)	Indictable High
Wounding †	When a person physically attacks another causing a maiming or crippling injury. (Severe bloodloss, internal bleeding, organ failure etc.)	Indictable Very High
Threats to Kill ‡	When a person makes a threat to another person to kill that person or another without lawful excuse, intending that person to fear the threat would be carried out. (Threats can be calculated and premeditated, or said in the heat of the moment. The defendant does not have to have the intention to kill but there has to be an intent that the person to whom the threat has been issued would fear it would be carried out.)	Summary High

† Beginning with Assault, these flagged offences are considered part of an exclusive tier (i.e. ABH is a more severe form of Assault). A suspect must be charged with the most severe offences per instance (i.e. attacking one person cannot result in a charge of both ABH and GBH, only GBH. Attacking 3 people may result in up to three instances, each independently ranging from Assault up to Wounding).

‡ This can be a difficult offence to prove, and it should be reserved for the more serious cases. Where it is doubtful whether the threat carried the necessary intent a charge of Assault or Causing Harassment, Alarm, or Distress may be appropriate.