Assault - Law of Torts PDF

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3/15/2017

Assault

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Assault Assaultmaybedefinedasanactofthedefendantwhichdirectlyandintentionallyornegligently causestheclaimantimmediatelytoapprehendacontactwithhisperson.Inotherwords,itisan anticipatedbattery. Youshouldnotethatintorttheexpression'assault'isreservedforthis threatofcontact(orbattery). Incommonparlance,andinthecriminallaw(assaultoccasioningactualbodilyharm,sexualassault) thewordhasabsorbedthesignificanceofbatteryaswell:seeRvSavage;DPPvParmenter[1992] UKHL1. Whileitispossibletohaveabatterywithoutanassault,asinthecaseofanattackfrombehind,or onanunconsciousvictim,allassaultsareatleastpotentialbatteries,althoughinsomecasesthe batteryispreventedornotproceededwith.Asaresult,alotofthelawisthesameandthesenotes onlyconsidertheaspectsofassaultwhicharedistinctive.

Act Thisusedtoberegardedasindicatingsomethingmorethanmerewords,andindeeditwassaidthat wordsarenoassault(HolroydJinMeade&Belt'sCase(1823)1Lewin184).Ifthewordsareclear andthreateningenough,verylittlemorebywayofgesturewasrequired,however: Wilson[1955]1 AllER744.Thecontextofthecaseswasdifferent.Theearlieronewasthatofanunrulycrowd, singingandchanting.Thiswasnodoubtintimidatory,butcouldbesaidtolackspecificanddirect threat.Thelatterconcernedagangofmenconfrontingasinglegamekeeperinanisolatedplaceat night. InthecriminallawthePublicOrderAct1986distinguishesbetweenseriousoffencesinvolvingthe useorshowofforce(ss.13),andlesseroffencesinvolvinginsultandabusealone(ss.4,5).The positionhasnowchanged.LordSteyn(inaspeechwithwhichtherestoftheHouseofLordsagreed) saidinBurstow&Ireland[1997]UKHL34:

'Thepropositionthatagesturemayamounttoanassault,butthatwordscanneversuffice,is unrealistic and indefensible. A thing said is also a thing done. There is no reason why somethingsaidshouldbeincapableofcausinganapprehensionofunlawfulphysicalviolence, e.g. a man accosting a woman in a dark alley saying ''come with me or I will stab you''. I would,therefore,rejectthepropositionthatanassaultcanneverbecommittedbywords.'

Copyright(c)201213NottinghamTrentUniversity

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