New legislation which will bring a raft of changes to sentencing in Northern Ireland has been introduced to the Assembly.
The Sentencing Bill, which is being brought forward by the Department of Justice, will deliver more stringent sentences for a range of offences.
Justice Minister Naomi Long said: “Today is an important day for victims; legislation that will make a significant difference to sentencing policy is one step closer to coming into force.
“Victims of crime, and their families and representatives, have been integral to the development of this Bill.
“We have listened to the concerns they raised and we have responded.
“With levels of racially motivated hate crime in Northern Ireland at record levels, the Bill will make key changes to how we prosecute such offences.
"I am looking forward to continuing to work with all those with an interest in sentencing policy as this Bill proceeds through the Assembly.”
The Bill will increase the maximum penalty for causing death, or serious injury by dangerous driving or careless driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs, from 14 years to 20 years.
It will also introduce a new offence and higher sentences for assaulting those providing a service to the public or performing a public duty.
The Bill will also create ‘Charlotte’s Law’, which aims to reduce the trauma experienced by families of murder victims in so called ‘no body’ cases.
Charlotte’s Law will see the creation of a statutory aggravator for failure to disclose the location of victims’ remains and new sentence reductions for post-sentence disclosures.
It will also introduce provisions equivalent to Helen’s Law, requiring Parole Commissioners to consider failure to disclose the location of victims’ remains in release decisions.
Drawing on a review of hate crime legislation led by Judge Desmond Marrinan, the Bill will also help victims of hate crime by modernising hate crime laws in Northern Ireland.
Ross Moorlock, Brake CEO, said: “Road deaths and injuries are devastating for everyone involved, and we welcome robust and fair sentencing for any road user who kills or harms through reckless behaviour. We welcome these changes, which reflect the seriousness of the crimes.
“At Brake, we believe that every road crash is preventable and we know the solutions that prevent road death and injury. Hopefully these new tougher sentences will help deter people from driving too fast, driving dangerously, and driving when they have been drinking alcohol or taking drugs."
Glyn Roberts, Chief Executive of Retail NI, has also welcomed the introduction of the Bill. “This has been a long-term policy priority for us and we hope that these new laws will help to deter criminals and to protect our members staff," he said.
