Short answers, pulled from the story.
The legal definition of battery centers on unlawful intentional infliction of harmful or offensive physical contact with another person without consent. This specific act distinguishes the offense from mere threats or fear and includes direct skin-to-skin contact or movement of a substance to strike the victim.
English courts historically treated battery as a common law offense rather than a statutory creation. The case R v Afolabi decided in 2017 clarified that even the slightest touch could amount to an unlawful application of force under English law while Collins v Wilcock from 1984 explains why everyday encounters are generally considered consensual.
Canada does not define battery separately within its Criminal Code because it focuses on assault and assault causing bodily harm instead. Scotland follows a similar path by including battery-like actions under the broader umbrella of assault without creating a separate charge.
A typical overt behavior of an assault involves Person A chasing Person B and swinging a fist toward their head which creates reasonable fear without necessarily touching anyone. In contrast, battery requires Person A actually striking Person B to complete the offense.
In Florida, aggravated battery is the intentional infliction of great bodily harm and carries a second-degree felony penalty. Unintentional causes of great bodily harm are considered a third-degree felony under the same state laws.