Crimes Act 1961

Crimes against the person - Assaults and injuries to the person

192: Aggravated assault

You could also call this:

"Harming someone to help with a serious crime or to stop a police officer"

If you assault someone to help commit a serious crime, you can go to prison for up to 3 years. This includes assaulting someone to avoid being caught for a serious crime, or to help someone else avoid being caught. You can also go to prison for up to 3 years if you assault someone to help yourself or someone else escape after committing a serious crime. If you assault a police officer or someone helping a police officer, you can go to prison for up to 3 years. This is because you are trying to stop them from doing their job. You can be liable to imprisonment if you assault someone in these situations, and the law is in place to protect people from harm.

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This page was last updated on 4 August 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM329381.

Topics:

Crime and justice > Criminal lawCrime and justice > Police and safety

191: Aggravated wounding or injury, or

"Hurting someone on purpose to help with a crime can lead to prison time."

193: Assault with intent to injure, or

"Hurting someone on purpose is against the law and can lead to jail time."

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

192Aggravated assault

Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years who assaults any other person with intent—
to commit or facilitate the commission of any imprisonable offence; or
to avoid the detection of himself or herself or of any other person in the commission of any imprisonable offence; or
to avoid the arrest or facilitate the flight of himself or herself or of any other person upon the commission or attempted commission of any imprisonable offence.

Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years who assaults any constable or any person acting in aid of any constable, or any person in the lawful execution of any process, with intent to obstruct the person so assaulted in the execution of his or her duty.

Compare

1908 No 32 s 209

Notes

Section 192(1)(a): amended, on 1 July 2013, by section 6 of the Crimes Amendment Act (No 4) 2011 (2011 No 85).
Section 192(1)(b): amended, on 1 July 2013, by section 6 of the Crimes Amendment Act (No 4) 2011 (2011 No 85).
Section 192(1)(c): amended, on 1 July 2013, by section 6 of the Crimes Amendment Act (No 4) 2011 (2011 No 85).