Government yesterday pledged a crackdown on child porn and harsher penalties for sex offenders as it keeps up the pace of anti-crime legislation.

Last year saw a string of harsher penalties for violence and drug offences and in the coming months an online child protection bill is promised to prevent the creation, distribution, possession and access to pornographic material.

The legislation will provide protection for children and instigate severe punishment for offenders. Last year Government was forced to withdraw the Police and Criminal Evidence Act which hoped to update Police investigation methods.

Premier Alex Scott said PACE would be tabled within the year and an element of PACE was mentioned in the Throne Speech yesterday with Government promising legislation to establish a DNA database.

It will increase both the fairness and effectiveness of the criminal justice system, promised Government, allowing samples taken from crime scenes to be matched against the database. Reading the Government?s forthcoming plans the Duke of York said: ?Vicious sexual and physical assaults have perpetuated needless fear within the community.

?In order to increase existing deterrents, the Government will modernise the law on sexual and other assaults and introduce harsher penalties as appropriate.

?Government will work in tandem with communities and landlords to rid so-called drug houses of illegal substances before the homes are returned to the housing stock.?

There is also a plan to establish a national steering committee on drugs which will be made up of Government department heads and co-ordinated by Cabinet. A Bill will be tabled to amend the Young Offenders Act 1950, complemented by the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill to divert first time young offenders away from incarceration and into counselling and rehabilitation programmes.

In support of this strategy, Government will develop a Juvenile and Family Treatment System to target young offenders and their families as a unit, rather than dealing with the offender in isolation.

Cohesive treatment will help to improve additional structure to the lives of young offenders and increase their opportunities for success as they get a second chance. A review of the jury system is also promised with the idea of increasing the jury pool which currently excludes former police officers, lawyers, religious leaders and their spouses.

Also on the public safety theme Government announced a clampdown on illegal breeding and dog attacks penalties and enforcement will be increased during an amendment of the Dogs Act 1978.