Penalties for violent crimes will be increased significantly if legislators pass amendments to the Criminal Code tabled on Friday.

The proposed measures would increase the penalties for grievous bodily harm to three years in prison on summary conviction and to seven years on indictment.

Currently the maximum prison terms are one year and five years respectively.

Assault with actual bodily will land the guilty a two year prison sentence or four years on indictment, double the current terms.

And carrying offensive weapons will result in a three or seven year prison term.