What is Grievous Bodily Harm? GBH is one of the more serious charges that criminal lawyers deal with which can be laid against a person. It is applied in cases of significant injury and carries hefty penalties inc possible prison time. First, police do not need to prove that you intended to cause GBH – your intentions don’t really matter here. They simply need to demonstrate (beyond reasonable doubt) that you caused the relevant injury and you had no lawful excuse to do so. Next, unlike some types of assault, a person cannot consent to suffer GBH – so just because someone gives you permission doesn’t make it lawful. Finally, there are some circumstances of “aggravation” (that is, situations where a more serious penalty could apply) for GBH, some examples include: the injury occurred while you were driving a motor vehicle; happened while you were intoxicated; or you were part of a “criminal organisation”; and if the GBH offence was part of a domestic violence offence. What Should you Do If you’re Charged with GBH? You are not obliged to answer questions, make a statement, or participate in an interview with police without first consulting with a criminal lawyer. As always, we recommend you seek legal advice about the GBH charge before doing anything else. So if you are concerned about the potential for a GBH charge against you (whether or not one has been brought), it’s important to get in touch sooner rather than later. Contact us now
