This article last updated January 16, 2002. Definition and
Penalties Application of force An assault is the intentional
application of force, directly or indirectly, to another person
without that person's consent. Threat to apply force An assault
may also take the form of an attempt or threat, by an act or
gesture, to apply force to another person. In this case,
however, the Crown must prove you had the present ability to
carry out the assault or that the victim believed you did. The
degree of alarm felt by the person threatened is irrelevant to a
finding of guilt as is your intent to carry out the threat. The
threat must cause apprehension of immediate personal violence; a
threat to inflict harm at an unspecified time in the future is
not an assault. Words alone, while they may be a threat, cannot
constitute an assault. Almost invariably, a simple assault will
be prosecuted by summary conviction. If convicted following a
trial by summary conviction, you are liable to a fine of up to
$2,000 or 18 months' imp