Going to the police: When the criminal law can help with harassment
Threatening violence or damage
Threatening to kill or injure you
It’s a criminal offence for someone to threaten to kill you or threaten to seriously injure you (cause you “grievous bodily harm”), or to send you a letter, text, email or other written material containing this kind of threat. The person can be jailed for up to seven years for this.
Intimidating you through threatening injury or property damage
Summary Offences Act 1981, s 21
It’s a criminal offence for someone to threaten to injure you or damage your property, if they intended to frighten or intimidate you or knew that these were the kind of threats likely to frighten or intimidate any reasonable person.
For this a person can be jailed for up to three months or fined up to $2,000.
