Thousands of gay and bisexual men granted official pardons for decades-old sexual offences under Alan Turing Law
THOUSANDS of gay and bisexual men convicted of now-abolished sexual offences were posthumously pardoned with a stroke of the Queen’s pen last night.
The Government has confirmed that the so-called Turing's Law - named after World War II codebreaker Alan Turing - takes effect today.
The war hero was officially pardoned in 2013 - and now thousands of others will be too after Her Maj signed the Police and Crime Act into law.
All gay dead men convicted under laws which have now been repealed, will be granted an automatic pardon.
But those who are still alive have to apply to the Home Office to have their convictions removed.
Justice Minister Sam Gyimah said it was a "truly momentous day".
He said: "We can never undo the hurt caused, but we have apologised and taken action to right these wrongs.
"I am immensely proud that Turing's Law has become a reality under this Government."
After a long struggle, Mr Turing was finally given a pardon in 2013. This followed an official apology by the then-PM Gordon Brown in 2009.
The mathematician, who helped break the German's codes during World War II, was charged in 1952 with gross indecency - after which he was chemically castrated.
He tragically died two years later in an apparent suicide.
Gay rights charity Stonewall welcomed the move: "Another important milestone of equality has been secured in law.
"The more equality is enshrined into our law books, the stronger our equality becomes, and the stronger we as a community become."
Campaigner Peter Tatchell said: “This pardon is an important, valuable advance that will remedy the grave injustices suffered by many of the estimated 50,000 to 100,000 men who were convicted under discriminatory anti-gay laws between 1885 and 2003 - the latter being the year when all homophobic sexual offences legislation was finally repealed in England and Wales.”
Lib Dem Leader Tim Farron added:
"Although it comes too late for those convicted, the friends and relatives of the thousands of people who suffered under this unfair and discriminatory law will now have a weight lifted off their shoulders."
