London Assault Lawyers

Assault is the application of physical force to someone without that person’s consent.

Assault cases, however, are rarely as simple as the definition suggests. Assault includes threatening or attempting to apply force without consent, and charges are often laid even when there is an element of consent or self-defence. Because of the wide range of conduct that falls into the definition of assault, the penalty can vary significantly.

Some assault cases result in an absolute or conditional discharge, which would not create a criminal record. More serious instances of assault can result in lengthy jail sentences.

Some of the factors that impact the severity of an assault charge are whether a weapon was used and any injuries that were caused.

There are several types of assault charges in the Criminal Code:

• Simple Assault: These allegations often involve complaints of pushing, shoving, or punching that results in little to no injury.
• Assault with a weapon: Any object can be considered a weapon. We have defended people charged with using a range of objects as weapons including knives, firearms, or other household items.
• Assault causing bodily harm: This charge is laid when an allegation is made of an assault that results in injuries such as cuts, bruising, and broken bones or teeth.
• Aggravated assault: This is the most serious form of assault and is charged when an allegation is made of an assault that results in wounding, maiming or endangering the life of another person. Aggravated assault charges generally come from allegations involving stabbings, shootings, or cases where an individual is accused of causing severe head injuries.

You are allowed to use physical force against someone else to defend yourself or your property from an immediate threat of harm, if the force used is within reason.

Physical force can also be used if you are trying to protect someone else from immediate threats of harm. It is also lawful in Canada for people to engage in a consensual fight.

Unfortunately once a physical altercation is over, accusers, who are often the original aggressors, will continue the conflict by reporting it to police. It is frequently the case that because of anger, embarrassment, or intoxication, complainants will make inaccurate, exaggerated, or sometimes completely false statements to police resulting in charges being laid against you.

Our clients are often people like you who have lived their entire lives without causing any harm or trouble in any context. You get caught in a volatile situation and are forced to react quickly, and as a result you are arrested after defending yourself against violence. Now you have to defend yourself against criminal charges.

Assault cases of all forms frequently result in trials with competing versions of events between you and someone making allegations against you. Our London assault lawyers embrace these trials as an opportunity to work with you when you are facing assault allegations, giving you the opportunity to clarify the truth and clear your name.