Assault Offences Across Australia
The word ‘assault’ often conjures up images of a physical altercation between two or more people, such as a bar fight or even domestic violence. Whilst such actions can certainly amount to the offence of assault, the conduct which may...
Police Officer Who Fatally Tasered 95-Year Old Excused From Attending Court
The New South Wales police officer who fatally tasered 95-year old grandmother, Clare Nowland, has faced Cooma Local Court, where the presiding magistrate expressed “absolute disgust” for the fact the officer, 33-year old senior constable Kristian White, was allowed to...
Can Consensual Choking for Sexual Pleasure Amount to a Criminal Offence in NSW?
Sexual choking is an increasingly common “kink” involving the squeezing of a partner’s neck during sexual activity. This activity carries the risk of harming or even causing the death of the person upon whom the force is applied, especially if...
What is ‘Wounding’ in the New South Wales Criminal Law?
Three teenagers have been charged for allegedly assaulting another teen shortly after the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Day. It is alleged that the assailants, two of whom are aged 17 years and one 16, acted in company to...
What Amounts to Self-Defence in New South Wales?
Self-defence is a ‘complete defence’ to a criminal charge, which means you are entitled to a verdict of not guilty if it applies in your case. Where is the defence contained in the law? The defence is contained in section 418...
Police Officer Charged Over Brutal Assault
A police officer who approached a member of the public from behind and violently threw him to the ground, leaving him in a pool of blood and urine, has been charged with recklessly causing injury and unlawful assault. The man...
The Offences of Reckless Wounding and Intentional Wounding in NSW
It has been reported that a 36-year old man was stabbed in the head during a fight at a house on Glencoe Avenue, Werrington County in Sydney’s greater western suburbs just before 10pm last night. Emergency services were called to...
Assault Offences in New South Wales
Police are searching for five men who are alleged to have assaulted a 71-year old man on the street at St Johns Road in Bradbury, south of Campbelltown, at around 6.30pm on Tuesday, 11 August 2020. It is alleged the...
What is Grievous Bodily Harm in Criminal Law?
17-year old Brae Lewis and his 15-year old girlfriend, Kyesha Finemore, had a tumultuous relationship involving frequent arguments and even physical violence. But on a fateful day in May 2016, the level of violence went to a whole other level....
Ending HIV Criminalisation
On 20 December last year, the WA Court of Appeal reduced the sentence CJ Palmer is serving for her conviction of recklessly causing grievous bodily harm by transmitting of HIV. Her overall sentence was cut from six years to four, and she’s...
