35Common assault and aggravated assault

### 35 Common assault and aggravated assault > > (1)  *\[Section 35 Subsection (1) substituted by No. 13 of 1987, s. 5 and Sched. 1 \]*A person shall not unlawfully assault another person. > > > (1A)  [*\[Section 35 Subsection (1A) amended by No. 77 of 2003, s. 6, Applied:15 Dec 2003\]*](/view/html/inforce/2003-12-15/act-2003-077#GS6@Hpb@EN) [*\[Section 35 Subsection (1A) amended by No. 77 of 2003, s. 6, Applied:15 Dec 2003\]*](/view/html/inforce/2003-12-15/act-2003-077#GS6@Hpa@EN) *\[Section 35 Subsection (1A) inserted by No. 13 of 1987, s. 5 and Sched. 1 \]*A person who contravenes [subsection (1)](#GS35@Gs1@EN) is guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a penalty not exceeding 20 penalty units or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months. > > > (1B)  [*\[Section 35 Subsection (1B) inserted by No. 6 of 2017, s. 10, Applied:28 Apr 2017\]*](/view/html/inforce/2017-04-28/act-2017-006#GS10@Hpa@EN) If an offence against this section is committed in circumstances of aggravation, the offender is liable to a fine not exceeding 50 penalty units or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years. > > > (2)  [*\[Section 35 Subsection (2) amended by No. 49 of 2009, s. 8, Applied:12 Nov 2009\]*](/view/html/inforce/2009-11-12/act-2009-049#GS8@Hpa@EN) [*\[Section 35 Subsection (2) amended by No. 77 of 2003, s. 6, Applied:15 Dec 2003\]*](/view/html/inforce/2003-12-15/act-2003-077#GS6@Hpd@EN) [*\[Section 35 Subsection (2) amended by No. 77 of 2003, s. 6, Applied:15 Dec 2003\]*](/view/html/inforce/2003-12-15/act-2003-077#GS6@Hpc@EN) [*\[Section 35 Subsection (2) amended by No. 59 of 1997, Applied:01 Aug 1998\]*](/view/html/inforce/1998-08-01/act-1997-059#AT@EN) *\[Section 35 Subsection (2) amended by No. 32 of 1963, s. 17 \]**\[Section 35 Subsection (2) amended by No. 55 of 1965, s. 5 \]**\[Section 35 Subsection (2) amended by No. 62 of 1965, s. 7 \]**\[Section 35 Subsection (2) amended by No. 13 of 1987, s. 5 and Sched. 1 \]*Where any person is charged with having unlawfully assaulted any other person, the court, if it considers the assault is of an aggravated nature, may sentence the offender to pay a fine not exceeding 50 penalty units or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years. > > > (3)  [*\[Section 35 Subsection (3) amended by No. 77 of 2003, s. 6, Applied:15 Dec 2003\]*](/view/html/inforce/2003-12-15/act-2003-077#GS6@Hpf@EN) [*\[Section 35 Subsection (3) amended by No. 77 of 2003, s. 6, Applied:15 Dec 2003\]*](/view/html/inforce/2003-12-15/act-2003-077#GS6@Hpe@EN) [*\[Section 35 Subsection (3) amended by No. 59 of 1997, Applied:01 Aug 1998\]*](/view/html/inforce/1998-08-01/act-1997-059#AT@EN) *\[Section 35 Subsection (3) inserted by No. 48 of 1951, s. 3 \]**\[Section 35 Subsection (3) amended by No. 32 of 1963, s. 17 \]**\[Section 35 Subsection (3) amended by No. 55 of 1965, s. 5 \]**\[Section 35 Subsection (3) amended by No. 13 of 1987, s. 5 and Sched. 1 \]*[*\[Section 35 Subsection (3) substituted by No. 49 of 2009, s. 8, Applied:12 Nov 2009\]*](/view/html/inforce/2009-11-12/act-2009-049#GS8@Hpb@EN) A person who with indecent intent assaults any other person is liable to a fine not exceeding 50 penalty units or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years. > > > (4)  *\[Section 35 Subsection (4) added by No. 48 of 1951, s. 3 \]*If on a complaint under [subsection (3)](#GS35@Gs3@EN) the court finds the assault proved but not the intent, it may amend the complaint to one under [subsection (1)](#GS35@Gs1@EN) for the same assault and convict accordingly. > > > (5)  [*\[Section 35 Subsection (5) amended by No. 27 of 2024, s. 18, Applied:13 Dec 2024\]*](/view/html/inforce/2024-12-13/act-2024-027#GS18@Hpa@EN) [*\[Section 35 Subsection (5) amended by No. 2 of 2023, s. 39, Applied:20 Apr 2023\]*](/view/html/inforce/2023-04-20/act-2023-002#GS39@Hpa@EN) [*\[Section 35 Subsection (5) amended by No. 15 of 2014, s. 22, Applied:19 Dec 2014\]*](/view/html/inforce/2014-12-19/act-2014-015#GS22@EN) [*\[Section 35 Subsection (5) inserted by No. 83 of 2001, s. 5, Applied:17 Dec 2001\]*](/view/html/inforce/2001-12-17/act-2001-083#GS5@EN) Subject to [subsections (5A)](#GS35@Gs5A@EN) and [(5B)](#GS35@Gs5B@EN) , a complaint made for the purposes of the [Justices Act 1959](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1959-077) in relation to an offence against this section is to be made within 12 months after the date of the offence. > > > (5A)  [*\[Section 35 Subsection (5A) inserted by No. 2 of 2023, s. 39, Applied:20 Apr 2023\]*](/view/html/inforce/2023-04-20/act-2023-002#GS39@Hpb@EN) [Subsection (5)](#GS35@Gs5@EN) does not apply to a complaint made for the purposes of the [Justices Act 1959](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1959-077) in relation to – > > > > > > (a) an offence under [subsection (3)](#GS35@Gs3@EN) ; or > > > > > > > (b) an offence under [subsection (1)](#GS35@Gs1@EN) if, under [subsection (4)](#GS35@Gs4@EN) , the complaint for the same assault was amended from a complaint under [subsection (3)](#GS35@Gs3@EN) to a complaint under [subsection (1)](#GS35@Gs1@EN) . > > > (5B)  [*\[Section 35 Subsection (5B) inserted by No. 2 of 2023, s. 39, Applied:20 Apr 2023\]*](/view/html/inforce/2023-04-20/act-2023-002#GS39@Hpb@EN) [*\[Section 35 Subsection (5B) substituted by No. 27 of 2024, s. 18, Applied:13 Dec 2024\]*](/view/html/inforce/2024-12-13/act-2024-027#GS18@Hpb@EN) A complaint made for the purposes of the [Justices Act 1959](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1959-077) in relation to one of the following offences may be made at any time after the date of the offence: > > > > > > (a) an offence under [subsection (3)](#GS35@Gs3@EN) ; > > > > > > > (b) an offence under [subsection (1)](#GS35@Gs1@EN) if, under [subsection (4)](#GS35@Gs4@EN) , the complaint for the same assault was amended from a complaint under [subsection (3)](#GS35@Gs3@EN) to a complaint under [subsection (1)](#GS35@Gs1@EN) . > > > (5C)  [*\[Section 35 Subsection (5C) inserted by No. 27 of 2024, s. 18, Applied:13 Dec 2024\]*](/view/html/inforce/2024-12-13/act-2024-027#GS18@Hpb@EN) The amendments to this section effected by the *Justice and Related Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2024* apply in respect of proceedings for an offence – > > > > > > (a) whether or not that offence was committed before or after the commencement of section 18 of that Act; and > > > > > > > (b) whether or not a limitation period previously applying to the offence had expired before the commencement of section 18 of that Act. > > > (6)  [*\[Section 35 Subsection (6) inserted by No. 6 of 2017, s. 10, Applied:28 Apr 2017\]*](/view/html/inforce/2017-04-28/act-2017-006#GS10@Hpb@EN) In this section – > > > > > ***circumstances of aggravation***, in relation to an offence against this section, means the offender committed the offence knowing that the victim of the offence was, at the time of the offence, pregnant.