''Collins v. Wilcock'' was a 1984
England and Wales High Court
The High Court of Justice in London, known properly as His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, are the Senior Courts of England and Wales. Its name is abbreviated as EWHC (England ...
appellate case of
trespass to the person
Trespass is an area of tort law broadly divided into three groups: trespass to the person, trespass to chattels, and trespass to land.
Trespass to the person historically involved six separate trespasses: threats, assault, battery, wounding, ...
focusing on
battery. Expanding on
Lord John Holt's definition of intent in ''
Cole v. Turner'',
Lord Robert Goff's ruling in ''Collins v. Wilcock'' narrowed the law. “An assault is committed when a person intentionally or recklessly harms someone indirectly. A battery is committed when a person intentionally and recklessly harms someone directly." But it also says this: “An offense of
Common Assault
Common may refer to:
Places
* Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
* Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts
* Cambridge Common, common land area in Cambridge, Massachusetts
* Clapham Common, originally co ...
is committed when a person either assaults another person or commits a battery.” It notes that the only distinction between common assault and causing actual bodily harm (under section 47 of the
Offenses Against the Person Act 1861) is the degree of injury.
References
United Kingdom tort case law
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