An act

Question 1

What does the actus reus of an assault require?

Answer 1

The actus reus of assault requires a positive act by the defendant, meaning that an omission alone is generally not sufficient to constitute assault.

Question 2

What may the defendants conduct consist of?

Answer 2

The defendant’s conduct may consist of words, actions, or gestures that cause the victim to apprehend immediate unlawful force.

Question 3

What are case examples of an act?

Answer 3

For example, threatening letters may amount to assault if they cause the victim to anticipate violence, as recognised in R v Constanza.

Similarly, even silent telephone calls may constitute assault if they cause the victim to apprehend immediate unlawful force, as established in R v Ireland.