Causing grievous bodily harm with intent to do grievous bodily harm / Wounding with intent to do GBH

s.18 Offences Against the Person Act 1861 · Crown Court

Sentencing framework

This guideline outlines how to categorize the offence based on the level of culpability and harm. The starting points for sentencing vary according to the assessed category of harm and culpability, leading to potential sentences ranging from 2 to 16 years, with the maximum sentence being life imprisonment. Aggravating and mitigating factors are considered to adjust the sentence accordingly.

Maximum sentence

Life imprisonment

Court

Crown Court

Starting point

12 years’ custody

Offence range

2 – 16 years’ custody

Aggravating factors

·Previous convictions
·Offence committed whilst on bail
·Offence motivated by hostility based on race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or transgender identity
·Offence committed against an emergency worker
·Offence committed against those working in the public sector
·Offence committed in prison
·History of violence or abuse towards victim
·Offence committed in a domestic context
·Presence of children
·Gratuitous degradation of victim
·Abuse of power and/or position of trust
·Any steps taken to prevent the victim reporting
·Commission of offence whilst under the influence of alcohol/drugs
·Offence committed whilst on licence or subject to post sentence supervision
·Failure to comply with current court orders

Mitigating factors

·No previous convictions or no relevant/recent convictions
·Remorse
·Good character and/or exemplary conduct
·Significant degree of provocation
·History of significant violence or abuse towards the offender by the victim
·Age and/or lack of maturity
·Mental disorder or learning disability, where not linked to the commission of the offence
·Sole or primary carer for dependent relative(s)
·Determination and/or demonstration of steps taken to address addiction or offending behaviour
·Serious medical conditions requiring urgent, intensive or long-term treatment

Sentencing range explorer

Select the culpability level and harm category to see the guideline's starting point and category range. This is an educational illustration of the published guideline — not a sentence calculation, and not legal advice. Courts apply the full step-by-step process, aggravating and mitigating factors, and the totality principle.

Culpability

Harm

Select a culpability level and a harm category above.

The sentencing process, step by step

Step 1 — Determining the offence category
Step 2 — Starting point and category range
Step 3 — Consider any factors which indicate a reduction for assistance to the prosecution
Step 4 — Reduction for guilty pleas
Step 5 — Dangerousness
Step 6 — Totality principle
Step 7 — Compensation and ancillary orders
Step 8 — Reasons
Step 9 — Consideration for time spent on bail (tagged curfew)

Guideline notes

This guideline applies to all offenders aged 18 and older. Consideration should also be given to the impact on dependants when imposing custodial sentences.

Always read the full guideline

This is a one-page summary. For any live case, sentencing exercise, or legal advice the authoritative source is the Sentencing Council's own definitive guideline — including the category bands, step-by-step sentencing approach, and all statutory factors not captured here.

Open the full guideline on sentencingcouncil.org.uk

Source: Sentencing Council · Crown copyright, licensed under Open Government Licence v3.0. Summary fetched 2026-06-28. Not legal advice — see a regulated adviser for any live case.