Exoneration of Persons Convicted of Gross Indecency and Related “Homosexual Offences”

Diana Johnson Excerpts

Thursday 15th December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab)]

I rise to present a petition of more than 600 names on the exoneration of persons convicted of gross indecency and related “homosexual offences”. I particularly wish to thank Colin Livett and Danny Norton for all their work on this petition.

The petition states:

The petition of citizens of the UK,

Declares that there are many people who were convicted of gross indecency and related “homosexual offences” prior to the Sexual Offences Act 2003; further that these offences were decriminalised by that Act and would not now be an offence; and further that any person (alive or deceased) convicted of any such offence should be exonerated.

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to exonerate automatically any persons alive or deceased who were convicted of gross indecency and related “homosexual offences” prior to the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in cases where their offences were decriminalised by that Act.

And the petitioners remain, etc.

[P001998]