Text as at 26 April 2026

This provision has not been checked by a human. The text below was read automatically from the official PDF and has not yet been verified against it, so it may differ from the provision as published — in its wording, its numbering, or where one provision ends and the next begins. For the authorised text, see legislation.vic.gov.au.

15B Causing serious injury recklessly in circumstances of gross violence

(1)A person must not, without lawful excuse, recklessly cause serious injury to another person in circumstances of gross violence. Penalty: Level 3 imprisonment (20 years maximum).

S. 15B(1) amended by No. 54/2025 s. 4.Note to s. 15B(1) inserted by No. 65/2016 s. 20(8), repealed by No. 23/2020 s. 11(1).

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(2)For the purposes of subsection (1), any one of the following constitutes circumstances of gross violence—

(a)the offender planned in advance to engage in conduct and at the time of planning—

(i)the offender intended that the conduct would cause a serious injury; or

(ii)the offender was reckless as to whether the conduct would cause a serious injury; or

(iii)a reasonable person would have foreseen that the conduct would be likely to result in a serious injury;

(b)the offender in company with 2 or more other persons caused the serious injury;

(c)the offender entered into an agreement, arrangement or understanding with 2 or more other persons to cause a serious injury;

S. 15B(2)(c) substituted by No. 63/2014 s. 7(4).

See Subdivision (1) (Complicity in commission of offences) of Division 1 of Part II.

(d)the offender planned in advance to have with him or her and to use an offensive weapon, firearm or imitation firearm and in fact used the offensive weapon, firearm or imitation firearm to cause the serious injury;

(e)the offender continued to cause injury to the other person after the other person was incapacitated;

(f)the offender caused the serious injury to the other person while the other person was incapacitated.

1See section 422(2) for an alternative verdict.

2An offence against subsection (1) is a category 1 offence under the Sentencing Act 1991. See section 5(2G) of that Act for the requirement to impose a custodial order for this offence.

3See section 10 of the Sentencing Act 1991 for the requirement that a term of imprisonment be imposed for an offence against section 15B(1) and that a non-parole period of not less than 4 years be fixed under section 11 of that Act unless the court finds under section 10A of that Act that a special reason exists.

4If a victim was an emergency worker on duty, a custodial officer on duty or a youth justice custodial worker on duty, see section 10AA(1) of the Sentencing Act 1991 for the requirement that a non-parole period of not less than 5 years be fixed unless the court finds under section 10A of that Act that a special reason exists.