section 20 assault

[codac]

I have been arrested and bailed under assault section 20 while the police check the medical evidence. It is my first offence and i am 44 years old. I was involved in a road rage incident where a woman nearly hit she was carrying her son in the back of the car he was not wearing his seatbelt. I have been experiencing considerable anxiety for some time about children not wearing seat belts in cars. I drive for my job and see it on a regular basis. In my anxiety I lashed out at this woman and hit her on the chin with the palm of my hand. They have said I dislocated jaw. I am very upset at what I did to this poor woman in front of her son In my anxiety and deeply sorry and ashamed. What do you think will happen to me /??/ and what punishment do you think I will get /??/.... thank you.

[ethandron]

You cannot assault a woman just because her child was not wearing a seat belt.
You deserve to go to prison, that said for a first offence it will most likely be a fine or Community Service because the prisons are so full.

[daffy654]

I think the woman driver should be prosecuted for not having her child either in a seat belt or an appropriate child seat. That does not mean you were right to hit her though. How did you manage to dislocate her jaw if all you did was hit her on the chin with the palm of your hand? You must have used quite some force! I think the court may give you a fine and community service and possibly an order to get anger management.

[lawman23]

ethandron i have a response for you, the prisons are so full? oh dear well thank you for your input haha. basically codac whilst not right, you have commited the offence and i can see you are genuinly regreting doing so. under section 20 you are more likely to recive harsher punishment than you would for a section 47 assault causing ABH, is it conclusive that it is GBH and not ABH?