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Crimes Act 1900
48AAggravated offences—pt 2 offences against pregnant
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48A Aggravated offences—pt 2 offences against pregnant
(a) section 15 (Manslaughter);
(b) section 19 (Intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm);
(c) section 20 (Recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm);
(d) section 21 (Wounding);
(e) section 23 (Inflicting actual bodily harm);
(f) section 24 (Assault occasioning actual bodily harm);
(g) section 29 (2) or (4) (Culpable driving of motor vehicle).
(2) The offence is an aggravated offence if—
(a) the offence was committed against a pregnant person; and
(b) the commission of the offence caused—
(i) the loss of, or serious harm to, the pregnancy; or
(ii) the death of, or serious harm to, a child born alive as a
result of the pregnancy.
(3) However, the offence is not an aggravated offence if the defendant
proves, on the balance of probabilities, that the defendant did not
know, and could not reasonably have known, that the person was
pregnant.
(4) If the prosecution intends to prove that the offence is an aggravated
offence, the relevant factors of aggravation must be stated in the
charge.
(5) To remove any doubt—
does not apply to an offence to which this section applies,
whether or not it is an aggravated offence.
cause loss, serious harm or death—a person’s conduct causes loss,
serious harm or death if it substantially contributes to the loss, serious
harm or death.
factor of aggravation means a matter mentioned in subsection (2) (a)
or (b).
harm to a child—see the Criminal Code, dictionary, definition of
harm.
harm to a pregnancy includes maternal haemorrhage, rupture of the
uterus or membranes, placental abruption, pre-term uterine
contractions, fetal haemorrhage and trauma to the fetus.
loss of a pregnancy means a miscarriage or stillbirth.
serious harm to a child—see the Criminal Code, dictionary,
definition of serious harm.
serious harm to a pregnancy means any harm (including the
cumulative effect of more than 1 harm) that—
(a) is likely to cause loss of the pregnancy; or
(b) endangers, or is likely to endanger, the natural course of the
pregnancy.