in the best interests of the patient, then no medical care is allowed and must be withdrawn (Airedale Trust v Bland). Also, if a patient, who is mentally competent, refuses to consent, that is the end of the matter and the treatment cannot proceed as doing so would be a battery. Even if it puts at risk the life of the patient’s unborn child (St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust v S). And even if it risks the patient’s own death (Re B [2002]). Self-defence Self-defence as to battery can occur when a person reasonably believes that he or she is going to be attacked by another person, and involves engaging in a reasonable level of physical contact with that person in order to prevent that person from engaging in a physical attack. This requires an honest and reasonable belief that you are about to be attacked: Lord Scott noted at paragraph [18] of Ashley v Chief Constable of West Sussex Police that 'it is one thing to say that if A's mistaken belief was honestly held that he should not be punished by the criminal law, it would be quite another to say that A’s unreasonably held mistaken belief would be subjected to physical violence by A'. The requirements for self-defence are different from those in criminal law; in civil law, the belief of imminent danger need not be reasonably held, and may allow a pre-emptive attack. Damages See main article: Damages The most commonly awarded damages for the tort of battery is compensatory damages, whereby you put the claimant in the position they would have been in had the incident not occurred. This damage only occurs where the claimant has 'suffered injury of some sort', from being battered. However rarer remedies such as an injunction may be awarded if the conduct is repetitive, to prevent the behaviour repeating again. Aggravated damages are also available but only ''when the trespass to the person constitutes an affront to the claimants dignity, causing them humiliation or injury to feelings.' For example, in the case of Appleton v Garrett,'' where a dentist performed unnecessary dental treatment on patients and because of the deception of the patients the consent did not count. Where the court still recognises that a tort has taken place, but there is no damage, the court may award the claimant nominal damages. This is a 'token sum of money which,