Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims (Amendment) Act 2012

1 Causing or allowing child or vulnerable adult to suffer serious physical harm

(1) Section 5 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (offence of causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable adult) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1)—

(a) in paragraph (a), after “dies” insert “or suffers serious physical harm”;

(b) in paragraph (d), for “V’s death” substitute “the death or serious physical harm”.

(3) In subsection (3)(a), for “V’s death” substitute “the death or serious physical harm”.

(4) In subsection (4)(b), for “V’s death” substitute “the death or serious physical harm”.

(5) In subsection (7), after “this section” insert “of causing or allowing a person’s death”.

(6) After that subsection insert—

“(8) A person guilty of an offence under this section of causing or allowing a person to suffer serious physical harm is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or to a fine, or to both.”

(7) The italic heading before section 5 becomes “Causing or allowing a child or vulnerable adult to die or suffer serious physical harm”.

(8) The amendments made by this section do not apply in relation to any harm resulting from an act that occurs, or so much of an act as occurs, before the commencement of this section.