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.

16 Causing serious injury intentionally

A person who, without lawful excuse, intentionally causes serious injury to another person is guilty of an indictable offence. Penalty: Level 3 imprisonment (20 years maximum).
S. 16 substituted by No. 10233 s. 8(2), amended by Nos 49/1991 s. 119(1) (Sch. 2 item 8), 48/1997 s. 60(1)(Sch. 1 item 10).Notes to s. 16 inserted by No. 69/2014 s. 8(3), amended by Nos 28/2016 s. 6(2), 65/2016 s. 20(10)(11), 48/2018 s. 85, substituted by No. 23/2020 s. 12.
1An offence against this section is a category 1 offence under the Sentencing Act 1991 if the victim was an emergency worker on duty, a custodial officer on duty or a youth justice custodial worker on duty and the offender knew or was reckless as to whether the victim was such a person. See section 5(2G) and (2GA) of that Act for the requirement to impose a custodial order or other specified order for this offence if committed in those circumstances.
2An offence against section 16 (other than a category 1 offence referred to in note 1) is a category 2 offence under the Sentencing Act 1991. See section 5(2H) of that Act for the requirement to impose a custodial order for this offence unless the circumstances set out in paragraphs (a) to (e) of that subsection exist.
3See section 10AA(1) of the Sentencing Act 1991 for the requirement that a term of imprisonment be imposed for an offence against section 16 and that a non-parole period of not less than 3 years be fixed under section 11 of that Act if the victim was an emergency worker on duty, a custodial officer on duty or a youth justice custodial worker on duty unless the court finds under section 10A of that Act that a special reason exists.
4See section 10AA(2) and (3) of the Sentencing Act 1991 that allow a youth justice centre order for a term of not less than
3years to be made in certain circumstances in respect of a young offender for an offence against section 16 if the victim was an emergency worker on duty, a custodial officer on duty or a youth justice custodial worker on duty.