S47 ABH Offence 

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm, or S47 ABH Offence, is a more serious assault than Common Assault. If you are arrested or charged with ABH, the police will have to prove that you have unlawfully hit or used force against someone, and that has caused them some kind of injury more serious than bruising or grazing.

If the injuries caused in the allegation are of a severe nature you could be charged with Grievous Bodily Harm or GBH (either S.18 or S.20). Even if injuries have been caused in an incident, it does not mean the person has committed an offence. For example, if someone has acted in self-defence, they will not be guilty of an unlawful assault, so long as the force used was reasonable.

ABH is an either way offence, so an actual bodily harm charge can be dealt with in either the Magistrates Court or Crown Court, depending on how serious the case is. The charge is so serious, that if you are guilty of the offence there is a very high risk of being sent to prison. Therefore it is vital that you are represented by one of our specialist solicitors.

The maximum sentence for S47 ABH Offence that the Magistrates Court can give is 6 months custody (prison). If they think the case is too serious for this sentence, the case will be dealt with by the Crown Court which can impose up to 5 years.

Spartans Law has represented clients for ABH at Magistrates Court and Crown Court throughout the country and has a dedicated team of solicitors to ensure you have the best advice for your individual case. If you, or someone you know, are accused of this offence, Contact Us to see how we can help you.