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This petition was submitted during the 2010-2015 parliament

Petition Update the Offences Against The Person Act 1861

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The law on the most serious non-fatal offences: ABH (Actual Bodily Harm) and GBH (Grievous Bodily Harm) is governed by the same Act dating back to 1861 and the offences [can] carry the same sentence (depending on the section (either s20 or s18) of the act used), yet GBH is more serious.
Additionally there is ambiguity surrounding areas of the statute and there are even multiple offences in one section of the Act.

There are proposed Law Commission reforms which achieve better balance and are better suited to the nature of the offences, serving both public interests and the interests of justice -

The Government should apply the Law Commission's reforms to make the criminal law on non-fatal offences more fit for purpose and just.

This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months

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