Following the 2013 redefinition of 'serious injury' in s 15 of the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic), the distinction between intention to cause 'serious injury' and 'really serious injury' has substantially reduced practical utility. An admitted intention to inflict life-endangering injuries is, as a matter of ordinary meaning, an intention to cause really serious injuries, and a sentencing judge's use of the phrase 'really serious injuries' in that context does not constitute a finding of an aggravating factor beyond the ambit of a guilty plea. However, specific aggravating intentions such as an intention to blind, permanently disfigure, maim, or cause maximum possible harm remain relevant and distinct from the general intention to cause serious injury.
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