Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Crimes Act 1961

Crimes against the person - Assaults and injuries to the person

201: Infecting with disease

You could also call this:

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

Illustration for Crimes Act 1961

If you make someone sick on purpose, without a good reason, you can go to prison for up to 14 years. This means that if you knowingly cause another person to get a disease or illness, and you don't have a legal excuse for doing so, you're breaking the law. The court takes this very seriously, which is why the punishment can be quite long.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM329704.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal law
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200: Poisoning with intent, or

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

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202: Setting traps, etc, or

"Hurting people with traps is against the law"

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

201Infecting with disease

  1. Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years who, wilfully and without lawful justification or excuse, causes or produces in any other person any disease or sickness.

  2. Repealed
Notes
  • Section 201(2): repealed, on , by section 164(b) of the Sentencing Act 2002 (2002 No 9).