united-kingdom self-defense assault
Where is the line between assault and self defense?
<p>Suppose that someone of whom one is not fond walks up to you while you are having a conversation with another and stands quite too close for comfort and you ask them to get out of your personal space. Instead of doing so, they stand even closer to you before sarcastically asking &quot;oh, how's this?&quot; While standing up taller than before to deliberately, threateningly, lean into your face more than before. The individual's entire intention is to violate your personal space against your declared wishes so as to humiliate you.</p>
<p>If you hit this person, would you be arrested?</p>

<h2>Where is the threat of imminent harm?</h2>
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-defence_in_English_law" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Self-defence</a> in English law requires a reasonable (subjective) belief that an attack is imminent or actually underway. If you reasonably believe that this is a genuine prelude to imminent attack and not, as described, someone just being a prick then reasonable (objective) force can be used.</p>
