An assault is the act of committing physical harm or unwanted physical contact upon a person or, in some specific legal definitions, a threat or attempt to commit such an action. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may result in criminal prosecution, civil liability, or both. Generally, the common law definition is the same in criminal and tort law. Traditionally, common law legal systems have separate definitions for assault and battery. When this distinction is observed, battery refers to the actual bodily contact, whereas assault refers to a credible threat or attempt to cause battery. Some jurisdictions combined the two offences into a single crime called "assault and battery", which then became widely referred to as "assault". The result is that in many of these jurisdictions, assault has taken on a definition that is more in line with the traditional definition of battery. The legal systems of civil law and Scots law have never distinguished assault from battery. Legal systems generally acknowledge that assaults can vary greatly in severity. In the United States, an assault can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony. In England and Wales and Australia, it can be charged as either common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) or grievous bodily harm (GBH). Canada also has a three-tier system: assault, assault causing bodily harm and aggravated assault. Separate charges typically exist for sexual assaults, affray and assaulting a police officer.
This offence is created by section 20 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861. Causing grievous bodily harm with intent
Also referred to as "wounding with intent". This offence is created by section 18 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861.Other aggravated assault charges refer to assaults carried out against a specific target or with a specific intent:

Assault with intent to rob
The penalty for assault with intent to rob, a common law offence, is provided by section 8(2) of the Theft Act 1968. Racially or religiously aggravated common assault
This offence is created by section 29(1)(c) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. Racially or religiously aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm
This offence is created by section 29(1)(b) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. Assault with intent to resist arrest
The offence of assault with intent to resist arrest is created by section 38 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861. Assaulting a constable in the execution of his duty
Section 89(1) of the Police Act 1996 provides that it is an offence for a person to assault either:
a constable acting in the execution of his duty; or
a person assisting a constable in the execution of his duty.Assaulting a traffic officer
This offence is created by section/10 section 10(1) of the Traffic Management Act 2004. Assaulting a person designated or accredited under sections 38 or 39 or 41 or 41A of the Police Reform Act 2002
This offence is created by section/46 section 46(1)] of the Police Reform Act 2002.