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Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Sections of the criminal code that outline provisions for bodily harm and assault causing bodily harm

In correspondence dated 4 September 2007, the Consulate General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines provided the Research Directorate with the following information about provisions for bodily harm and assault causing bodily harm within the criminal code.

The criminal code is part of the laws of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which were revised in 1990 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4 Sept. 2007). "Offences against the person" are outlined in Chapter XI, Sections 157-198 in the criminal code (ibid). The Consul General highlighted the sections below, which are specific to bodily harm and assault causing bodily harm:

173. Any person who, unlawfully and maliciously, by any means whatever, wounds, or causes grievous bodily harm to any person with intent so to do, or with intent to resist or prevent the lawful apprehension or detainer of any person, is guilty of an offence and liable to imprisonment for life

174. Any person who, unlawfully and maliciously, wounds, or inflicts any grievous bodily harm upon any other person, either with or without a weapon or instrument, is guilty of an offence and liable to imprisonment for fourteen years.

192. Any person who unlawfully assaults another is guilty of an offence and, if the assault is not committed in circumstances for which a greater punishment is provided by this Code or any other law, is liable to imprisonment for one year.

193. Any person who commits an assault causing actually bodily harm is guilty of an offence and liable to imprisonment for five years.

195. Any person who –

(a) assaults any person with intent to commit an offence or to prevent the lawful apprehension or detainer of himself or another for any offence;

(b) assaults, resists or obstructs any person engaged in a lawful execution of process, or in making lawful distress, with intent to rescue any property taken, or to be taken, under such process [or] distress; or;

(c) assaults any person on account of any act done by him in the execution of any duty imposed on him by law,

is guilty of an offence and liable to imprisonment for two years. (ibid.)

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Reference

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. 4 September 2007. Consulate General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in Ottawa. Written correspondence from the Consul General.

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites including: Annual Review of Population Law; Buffalo Criminal Law Center; Cornell Law School; Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court; Foreign Primary Law on the Web (University of Houston Law Library); Global Legal Information Network (GLIN); Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Harvard Law School; International Constitutional Law; International Labour Organization (NATLEX); Internet Legal Research Group; Law Library of Congress;

Legislation online; Political Database of the Americas; Refworld; World Legal Information Institute.

Topics: Criminal law,