Historic gay sex convictions will be able to be deleted from October
From October, men with historic convictions for having consensual gay sex will be able to apply to have the convictions removed from official databases.
If succesful, this would mean that men with the convictions would be able to apply for job or volunteering roles which require a Criminal Records Bureau check, without fear of the convictions showing up.
Gay sex was decriminalised in 1967, and anyone with convictions from before then will be able to apply to have them deleted.
HM Courts and Tribunals and the Home Office will work together with the Association of Chief Police Officers to accept and process applications.
Caseworkers will consider each case individually, but the final say on each will be with the home secretary. If succesful, applicants will have their records updated, and the offences would no longer show up on a criminal records certificate.
On 1 May, the Protection of Freedoms Act, which will enable this process, received Royal Assent.
The promise to disregard the convictions and wipe criminal records had previously been announced by David Cameron on Pinknews.co.uk before last year’s election.
