Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Crimes Act 1961

Crimes against the person - Assaults and injuries to the person

200: Poisoning with intent

You could also call this:

"Hurting someone on purpose with poison is against the law"

Illustration for Crimes Act 1961

If you give someone a poison or a harmful substance on purpose, you can get in trouble with the law. You can go to prison for up to 14 years if you try to seriously hurt someone by giving them poison. If you give someone a poison to annoy them or for a reason that is against the law, you can go to prison for up to 3 years. You should know that the law says you can be punished if you give poison to someone, no matter what your reason is.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM329701.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal law
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Part 8Crimes against the person
Assaults and injuries to the person

200Poisoning 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, administers to or causes to be taken by any person any poison or other noxious substance.

  2. Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years who, with intent to cause inconvenience or annoyance to any one, or for any unlawful purpose, administers to, or causes to be taken by, any person any poison or other noxious substance.

  3. Repealed
Compare
  • 1908 No 32 s 203
  • Criminal Code (1954) s 217 (Canada)
Notes
  • Section 200(3): repealed, on , by section 164(b) of the Sentencing Act 2002 (2002 No 9).