Full Code Test

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Working through The Full Code Test within, The Code for Crown Prosecutors enables the conclusion to be reached as to whether Harry should be charged in accordance with s47 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861, for assault occasioning actual bodily harm ('ABH'). For conviction, prosecutors would demonstrate the actus reus and mens rea of ABH, in this case that Harry assaulted and caused the actual bodily harm to Rob and reckless or intended the assault.
Lord Hope in R (on the application of Purdy) v Director of Public Prosecutions [2009] UKHL 45, stated that "prosecution does not follow automatically whenever an offence is believed to have been committed". In this judgment, Lord Hope echoed Sir Hartley Shawcros's statement made in the …show more content…

The level of seriousness of the offence committed, the suspects' culpability, circumstances of and harm to the victim is one of the first considerations in the public interest stage. ABH is a serious triable either way Class C offence involving violence, with the Assault Definitive Guideline laying out an offence range of a fine to three years' custody. The three witness statements identify Harry as solely culpable for Rob's assault, Harry may not have wished to assault Rob before the argument, however, intent in taking the deliberate premeditated action of pushing Rob resulting in the unlawful assault occurring. Harry being a university student is a factor that may increases public interest in seeing Harry prosecuted as the end result to Harry studying the course may allow Harry a career where assault is a bar to employability, therefore, safeguarding the public. It is not known if Rob is a vulnerable person, or Harry was motivated by any form of discrimination against Rob, therefore, the circumstances of the victim alone does not push for Harry to be charged. The impact the offence has on Rob has not been supplied, therefore, no consideration from this point can support charging Harry, although it is known stitches were required. The facts do not provide any reason for the prosecution not to go ahead based on the likelihood to have a detrimental effect on Rob's physical or mental health. The impact on the community as an inclusive term is another factor that prosecutors look at to see if there is public interest in bringing a prosecution. In Harry's case, ABH is a violent offence and it is in the interest of those not only in the nightclub that were in the vicinity of the incident,

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