Scots to pardon gays for bumming

THE Scottish Government is to grant an automatic pardon to gay and bisexual men convicted of now-abolished sexual offences.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson confirmed legislation to grant pardons will be brought in at Holyrood, and he added that as part of this process ministers will give “serious consideration” to whether they should make a formal apology. It comes just days after similar legislation was scuppered at Westminster.

Mr Matheson told MSPs: “There are people with criminal convictions for same-sex sexual activity that is now lawful and we must right this wrong.

“We will introduce an automatic formal pardon for those convicted under these laws so they know they are absolved fully.”