Assault Lawyers Townsville
Have you been charged with an Assault Offence?
If you've been arrested or charged in relation to an assault or alleged assault, your next step should be reaching out to an experienced criminal lawyer. Getting the right advice is your best opportunity for securing the best possible outcome.
Assault offences are very broad and include offences such as common assault, to more serious offences such as grievous bodily harm and wounding. Sentences can range from fines to imprisonment. Mandatory sentences apply for assault offences committed in some circumstances.
In an assault case, the police are called to investigate on receiving a complaint from the victim or a witness to the alleged assault. Police will usually take a statement from the victim and witnesses. They will then look for any other relevant evidence such as CCTV or video footage and locate the alleged defendant and see if they will make a statement or go in for an interview.
If you are asked to give a statement or give an interview, always seek legal advice before agreeing.
What is assault?
Assault is defined as striking, touching, moving or otherwise applying force of any kind to another person; directly or indirectly; without the other person’s consent.
Assault Offences our lawyers can help with include:
When assessing your application for bail, the court considers the following:
Common assault
Wounding
Serious Assault
Assault occasioning bodily harm
Choking in a domestic setting
Previous failures to attend court
Obstruction or assault of a police officer
Here we’ll give an overview of the types of assault offences.
Common assault
Common assault refers to “any person who unlawfully assaults another” and is the least serious type of assault - although it can still result in imprisonment on conviction. The penalty for common assault depends on the specifics of the case and other factors such as the defendant’s criminal history and personal circumstances.
Wounding
Wounding is a serious offence. Injuries of wounding often stem from a knife, broken glass or broken bottle. An example of wounding is a “pub glassing” where the defendant broke and penetrated the skin of the victim causing a wound. The penalty in relation to wounding offences typically includes a period of imprisonment.
Serious Assault
Serious assault is also a serious offence and carries a harsh punishment. This charge was introduced into Queensland due to a higher rate of assaults of people over the age of 60, disabled persons, ambulance officers and police officers. The maximum penalty is 7 years although if the offender applies bodily fluid to a police officer this may be increased to 14 years.
Assault occasioning bodily harm
Assault occasioning bodily harm is defined as an assault that results in bodily harm to another. Bodily harm refers to an injury that interferes with the victim’s health or comfort. The maximum penalty for assault occasioning bodily harm is seven (7) years imprisonment but this increases to 10 years imprisonment in certain circumstances such as the person being in company with another person or if the person is armed or pretends to be armed with a weapon.
Choking in a domestic setting
It is a criminal offence to choke, suffocate or strangle another person without their consent. For this particular offence, the action is committed against a person with who the person is in a domestic relationship with, for instance a husband & wife, boyfriend & girlfriend, parent & child. The offence is considered very serious and must be heard in the District Court. The maximum penalty is seven (7) years imprisonment.
Obstruction or assault of a police officer
Assaulting or obstructing a police officer in their duties is a common yet serious offence. Police may charge you with obstruction if you interfere with an officer executing their duties, struggle while being handcuffed or refuse to comply with a lawful police request.
What to expect from Kalo Criminal Law - your local Townsville Assault Lawyer
When you contact our team in Townsville about representing you for an assault offence, know that we are here to help.
Being charged with any type of assault can be stressful and overwhelming. We will explain the whole process, reduce any reputational damage, give you options and fight for you.
We’ll ask you a series of questions and listen to what happened and the circumstances surrounding the matter
We’ll let you know what your options are and the possible fines or imprisonment time for the charges
We’ll let you know our fees upfront so you are fully informed on how much it will cost to be represented by a professional and experienced assault offence lawyer to get the best possible outcome for your case
We offer fixed fees and payment plans to suit all of our clients
When you choose Kalo Criminal Law to fight an assault offence, you get a team of lawyers who don’t just know the law – we genuinely love what we do and know how to make it work to our clients advantage.
Our director Kerri Patterson is a confident and tenacious advocate, she enjoys appearing in court and protecting her client’s rights. Kerri’s clients appreciate her professionalism, tenacity and responsiveness.
