Gay sex convictions under now-abolished laws to be wiped by UK govt

Priti Patel is set to announce a pardons scheme expansion covering any conviction given to those engaging in consensual homosexual activity.

The Home Secretary is reportedly planning to broaden the government’s Disregards and Pardons scheme, meaning that those who were convicted of a crime under the now-abolished legislation can apply to have it wiped from their criminal record with no requirement to disclose it in the future.

The Home Office said that the nine former offences currently included on the specified list “largely focused on the repealed offences of buggery and gross indecency between men”.

The move is an apparent attempt at “righting the wrongs of the past” when it came to punishing homosexual activity.

Patel said: “It is only right that where offences have been abolished, convictions for consensual activity between same-sex partners should be disregarded too.

“I hope that expanding the pardons and disregards scheme will go some way to righting the wrongs of the past and to reassuring members of the LGBT community that Britain is one of the safest places in the world to call home.”

The criteria of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill will be broadened to include any repealed or abolished civilian or military offence that was brought upon someone purely for or because of consensual gay sexual activity.

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