43Persons convicted of aggravated Assaults on Females and Boys under Fourteen Years of Age may be imprisoned or fined.
When any Person shall be charged before Two Justices of the Peace with an Assault or Battery upon any Male Child whose Age shall not in the Opinion of such Justices exceed Fourteen Years, or upon any Female, either upon the Complaint of the Party aggrieved or otherwise, the said Justices, if the Assault or Battery is of such an aggravated Nature that it cannot in their Opinion be sufficiently punished under the Provisions herein-before contained as to Common Assaults and Batteries, may proceed to hear and determine the same in a summary Way, and, if the same be proved, may convict the Person accused ; and every such Offender shall be liable to be imprisoned in the Common Gaol or House of Correction, with or without Hard Labour, for any Period not exceeding Six Months, or to pay a Fine not exceeding (together with Costs) the Sum of Twenty Pounds, and in default of Payment to be imprisoned in the Common Gaol or House of Correction for any Period not exceeding Six Months, unless such Fine and Costs be sooner paid, and, if the Justices shall no think fit, in any of the said Oases, shall be bound to keep the Peace and be of good Behaviour for any Period not exceeding Six Months from the Expiration of such Sentence.