Aubrey v The Queen

Criminal law – Infliction of grievous bodily harm – Meaning of "inflicts" – Where appellant caused complainant to contract human immunodeficiency virus – Whether infliction requires force and immediate physical injury – Whether communication of infection or disease amounts to infliction – Consideration of R v Clarence (1888) 22 QBD 23 and R v Dica [2004] QB 1257.

Criminal law – Fault element – Recklessness – Foresight of risk – Where appellant diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus – Where appellant knew of possibility of transmitting virus through unprotected sexual intercourse – Whether foresight of possibility of risk sufficient to establish recklessness.

Words and phrases – "always speaking", "contemporary ideas and understanding", "grievous bodily harm", "inflicts", "maliciously", "recklessly".

Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) – ss 5, 35(1)(b), 36.