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Offences against the person

Investigation — Authorised Professional Practice

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Summary

This page provides guidance on offences against the person within UK jurisprudence, specifically detailing the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 and the criminal transmission of HIV. The Assaults on Emergency Workers Act details legal protections for emergency workers from assaults occurring during their duties, including out-of-hours situations where their roles are engaged. The criminal transmission of HIV is highlighted as an offence under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, emphasizing intentional or reckless behaviour leading to transmission.

Key principles

  • 1Assault on emergency workers is a criminal offence.
  • 2Intentional transmission of HIV is a criminal offence.
  • 3The legislation protects emergency workers even when off-duty if performing their roles.
  • 4Investigate and record incidents of criminal transmission of HIV.
  • 5Legal provisions are in place for assaults against emergency workers.

Defined terms

Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018
An Act that created an offence for common assault or battery against an emergency worker.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
A virus that can lead to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and is linked to criminal transmission under UK law.

Full guidance

This page is from APP, the official source of professional practice for policing.

The following documents provide advice and guidance on offences against the person.

On 13 November 2018 the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018(opens an external website in the same tab) came into force, creating under section 1, an offence of common assault, or battery committed against an emergency worker acting in the exercise of their role as an emergency worker.

This includes where the offence takes place when the person is not at work but is carrying out functions which, if done in work time, would have been in the exercise of their function as an emergency worker. For example, a paramedic giving first aid at an accident, on their way home from work.

For further information on definitions and aggravating factors see Circular 2018/01(opens an external website in the same tab) .

The intentional or reckless transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a criminal offence and should be recorded and investigated as such.

Intentional transmission (‘deliberate’ or ‘knowing’) is an offence under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, s18 and recklessness is an offence under section 20 of the same Act.

For further information see NAT, ACPO (2010) Investigation guidance relating to the criminal transmission of HIV (revised 2018).pdf) .

For further resources see also the Knowledge Hub NPCC Drugs Portfolio community(opens an external website in the same tab) (this link is available to authorised users who are logged on to Knowledge Hub(opens an external website in the same tab) ).

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Reproduced from the College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice under the Open Government Licence v3.0, as captured on 2026-06-27. APP is amended over time — check the source link below for the current version. This is a reference, not operational authorisation.

APP is the authoritative source for UK policing practice and is updated over time. For the current, official version — including any operational detail not reproduced here — go direct.

Read the full APP guidance

Source: College of Policing — Authorised Professional Practice · Crown copyright, licensed under Open Government Licence v3.0. Summary fetched 2026-06-27.