Policy background Time limit for prosecution of common assault or battery in domestic abuse cases
Victims of domestic abuse may understandably take some time to report their abuse to the police, and longer than is often the case in a non-domestic abuse context. As a result, it has been established that the current time limit on bringing prosecutions for common assault or battery in cases relating to domestic abuse, which expires six months after the offence is alleged to have been committed, has prevented some victims from seeking justice and allowed some perpetrators to evade prosecution. Section 49 therefore extends the time limit on bringing prosecutions in these cases to ensure that victims are not unfairly prevented from seeking justice.