affray

[anderlee]

what exactly is it?? A legal definition please.

thanks

[AdamCTarcos]

The website http://www.police-law.co.uk provides a broad definition of the offence.

"A person is guilty of affray if he uses or threatens unlawful violence towards another and his conduct is such as would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at the scene to fear for his personal safety (A person of reasonable firmness need not actually be present). "

[New Judge]

And contrary to popular belief, one person alone can commit Affray. The popular understanding is that a number of people have to be present, but that is not the case.

[fredpuli47]

Affray requires just one person to be acting, violent disorder requires three and riot requires twelve.

The confusion in the public mind may be because, whilst the old common law offence of affray could be committed by just one person, in practice it was the charge used when there was a street fight or 'punch up' involving several people.
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