Full pardons have been granted to all people convicted of historical homosexual offences on the Isle of Man.

Anyone who was cautioned or convicted of a historical sexual offence is automatically pardoned, if the act would no longer be considered a crime in modern law. The measure also applies to anyone who is now deceased.

The ability to grant pardons in this way was incorporated into the Sexual Offences and Obscene Publications Act 2021 and applied earlier this year by the Department of Home Affairs.

Minister for Justice and Home Affairs Jane Poole-Wilson MHK said at the time: ‘I hope these automatic pardons will help to address at least some of the hurt caused by our historical laws. It is very difficult to accept how it was once common place for people to be criminalised in this way.’

She added: ‘Our society has progressed and become much more inclusive and tolerant than when these discriminatory laws were in place, but we still have work to do to protect everyone in our community.’