'Turing's Law' pardon considered for gay convictions

The Home Affairs minister is to consider introducing a law to pardon people convicted of being gay before it was legalised in Jersey.

Deputy Mary Le Hegarat said she planned to look at bringing a law similar to "Turing's Law" in the UK.

It is an informal term for an amendment in the Policing and Crime Act 2017, granting automatic pardons to those who were convicted of sexual acts that are no longer deemed criminal.

"Turing's Law" was named after the wartime codebreaker Alan Turing who was convicted of gross indecency for homosexual acts but given a posthumous pardon in 2013.

Deputy Le Hegarat added that it is "right and proper" that an apology should be made to those who were criminalised for being gay.

Jersey decriminalised homosexuality in 1990.

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