Violent crime

Violent crime covers varying thresholds of injury and is covered by numerous pieces of legislation.

It includes common assault, actual bodily harm, grievous bodily harm and racially aggravated assaults.

An assault is an act by which a person, intentionally or recklessly, causes another person (the victim) to either perceive immediate unlawful personal violence or to sustain unlawful personal violence.

While often physical an assault can, under some circumstances, be committed by words alone or words accompanied by a threatening act. The victim must have been aware of the accused's actions at the time and the threat of unlawful violence must be immediate.

Further information and advice

Seek medical assistance if you have been assaulted or injured. In an emergency, or if violence is in progress, call 999 immediately. You can call 111 if you need medical help quickly, but it's not a 999 emergency.

You can report instances of assault by calling 101 or you can report it online.