Reform Of Offences Against The Person

The principal statute dealing with offences of violence committed against others remains the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 (the 1861 Act). The considerations in this report focus primarily on those offences which deal with causing physical or psychiatric harm. However, because of their close connection with the 1861 Act offences, and in order to work towards coherent law reform in this area, offences such as assault and battery and the offence of assaulting a constable in the execution of his duty, were also considered.