The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) said it had received 355 files from police in relation to suspected hate crimes between April 2018 and March 2019, a six per cent increase on 335 files in 2017-18.

The statistical bulletin on hate crime also revealed that the largest proportion (37.2 per cent) of suspected hate crimes reported to prosecutors were racially motivated.

A slightly smaller proportion (31 per cent) were sectarian, while 14 per cent were homophobic and eight per cent were motivated by faith or religion.

Just over three per cent were motivated by disability and slightly more than one per cent were transphobic.

Around five per cent of suspected hate crimes were motivated by more than one kind of hatred.

The PPS decided to prosecute in just over half (51 per cent) of cases, while around five per cent led to a diversion and 44 per cent led to no prosecution.