ABH is an assault when a person intentionally or recklessly causes another to suffer or unlawful violence which then inflicts minor damage to the body. Minor damage will include:

• Grazes
• Scratches
• Minor bruises
• Swellings
• Reddening of the skin
• Superficial cuts

The decision to charge someone for Assault rather than ABH will depend on factors such as the level of violence used, the vulnerability of the victim and the circumstances of the assault

The consequences for ABH range from a community order to a maximum sentence of 5 years. Prison sentences are more likely to be given if the assault is not a first-time offence. This can increase to 7 years if the offence is racially or hate related as governed by Section 29 of The Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

The length of sentence will depend on a number of different criteria:

• Whether there have been previous offences
• The length and strength of the attack
• The vulnerability of the victim
• The role in the group activity
• The intention of the attack