 Offences against the person include minor forms of battery ( any unlawful touching of another person ) ; its complimentary offence , assault ( causing the apprehension of a battery , even when one has not yet occurred ) ; and various more serious offences which are based on assault and battery ( together called " common assault " ) . This includes assault occasioning actual bodily harm , where the victim suffers injuries such as bruising or skin abrasions ( the converse being an injury that is " transient and trifling " ) ; wounding ( a piercing of all layers of the skin ) ; and causing grievous bodily harm ( injuries more serious than in actual bodily harm , for example broken bones ) . The latter two offences may be committed " with intent " , meaning there is an additional mens rea component that makes the defendant more culpable for their actions . Whilst recklessness is sufficient for most offences against the person – that the defendant foresaw the risk of the proscribed injury occurring without necessarily intending it to happen – this is insufficient for crimes of intent . 
