The Director of Public Prosecutions has recently appealed successfully against a magistrates’ court decision that the forced cutting of a woman’s hair by her partner was not assault causing actual bodily harm (‘ABH’). The court agreed that ‘actual’ means not trivial or insignificant and ‘bodily’ means of the body. The fact that hair is not living tissue does not mean it is not bodily. Therefore, cutting someone’s hair against their wishes is ABH.
Compulsory Haircut is Assault
The contents of this article are intended for general information purposes only and shall not be deemed to be, or constitute legal advice. We cannot accept responsibility for any loss as a result of acts or omissions taken in respect of this article.
