Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Crimes Act 1961

Crimes against the person - Assaults and injuries to the person

188: Wounding with intent

You could also call this:

“Hurting someone badly on purpose is against the law and can lead to time in jail.”

If you hurt someone on purpose, trying to cause them very serious harm, you could go to prison for up to 14 years. This includes wounding them, damaging their body, changing how they look, or causing them severe bodily harm.

If you hurt someone on purpose, or if you act in a way that shows you don’t care about other people’s safety, and this leads to wounding them, damaging their body, changing how they look, or causing them severe bodily harm, you could go to prison for up to 7 years.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM329371.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal law
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189: Injuring with intent, or

“Hurting someone on purpose or without caring about their safety is against the law”

Part 8 Crimes against the person
Assaults and injuries to the person

188Wounding with intent

  1. Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years who, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to any one, wounds, maims, disfigures, or causes grievous bodily harm to any person.

  2. Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years who, with intent to injure anyone, or with reckless disregard for the safety of others, wounds, maims, disfigures, or causes grievous bodily harm to any person.

  3. Repealed
Compare
  • 1908 No 32 s 197(a)
  • 1941 No 10 Schedule
Notes
  • Section 188(3): repealed, on , by section 164(b) of the Sentencing Act 2002 (2002 No 9).