Tough new laws to combat hate crime and joyriding in Northern Ireland came into force today.
Under the laws there is a statutory requirement on judges to treat racial and religious aggravation and hatred of sexual orientation or disability as a aggravating factor when sentencing.
It also creates new offences and heavier penalties to tackle car crime.
The North has seen an upsurge of racial hate crime in the past couple of years and Northern Ireland Criminal Justice Minister Mr John Spellar said the new powers gave judges greater scope in sentencing where hostility was proven, including increases in maximum sentences.
The new laws see the maximum penalties for causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and putting someone in fear of violence increased from five to seven years.
The maximum penalty for criminal damage is increased from 10 to 14 years. Hostility based on race, religion, sexual orientation or disability can be based on both hatred of an individual or of a group.
Joyriders can now be jailed for up to 14 years in prison.