what shall i do now

[christie1]

I'm being charged with section 18.GBH. in a argument with my wife i hit her with a glass ash tray,causing a cut to her forehead needing 4 stitches, Ive been remanded to the crown court.
if I'm convicted how long will i get?

[Bathsheba]

Thanks Tetjam for making me smile xx

[Bathsheba]

Hey wiz, how are you? How are things with you + your neighbour? x

[Bathsheba]

Aah bless. Try + keep your cool x

[Buenchico]

'Section 18' is an extremely serious charge. (It carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment).

The 'starting point' for sentencing of the least serious Section 18 offences is 4 years imprisonment, with judges required to sentence in the range of 3 to 5 years unless there are good reasons not to do so. (A guilty plea, from a first time offender, at an early stage might get the sentence reduced rather lower).

However, Section 18 is 'GBH with intent'. A cut requiring 4 stitches does not amount to 'GBH' (and thus 'with intent' doesn't come into it). The only exception would be if the cut resulted in permanent disfigurement (which would have to be 'more than minor'). A decent barrister should be able to get the charge dropped to Section 47 (ABH), with the likelihood of a non-custodial sentence (unless there's a past history of violence).

Read through Sections 4 and 5, here, to see why I state that ABH should be the correct charge:
http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/section5/chapter_c .html#09

Chris

[Bbbananas]

ideally - as long as it takes for you (or any other bullyboy manthug wifebeater) to realise that hitting anyone with a glass ashtray is not very big & not very clever.

likely - less than if you'd sodomised the dog or left an overflowing bin out for collection. It's a funny old world, ha ha.

[Dolly1308]

What a big ,brave man you are chrissie1 , I'd give you Life just to make sure you didn't do it again but of course you won't get anywhere near that -perhaps a slap on the wrist because '' SHE MADE ME DO IT ,SIR " .
I'm sure you're reallya nice quiet sort of guy ,aren't you (not).

[Bbbananas]

nice to know we're on the same wavelength Dolly. Speaking as an (ex) wife who had similar things aimed at her, including a pressure cooker weight, knife, shotgun, remote control, a bunched fist with an 18 stone man on the end of it - I don't think christie1 can expect to get too much sympathy on this one.

Advice yes, everyone's entitled to that. But sympathy? Even if there were 'mitigating circumstances'. (there always are with this type of person)... I think a good stretch might make him think before the next time (there always is with this type of person).

[mrs_overall]

Hang on......."if I'm convicted..."

You've admitted you did it, so act like a man and plead guilty. Your sentence will be less, you'll save us taxpayers a fortune in legal fees and court costs and it will save your poor wife having to give evidence.