WWII code-breaker Alan Turing has been given a posthumous royal pardon for a 61-year-old conviction for being gay. Dr Turing, who was pivotal in breaking the Enigma code, was chemically castrated following his conviction in 1952.
David Cameron has paid tribute to Alan Turing for his role in "saving Britain in World War Two" after the famous code-breaker was awarded a a posthumous royal pardon.
The Prime Minister said: "Alan Turing was a remarkable man who played a key role in saving this country in World War Two by cracking the German Enigma code.
"His action saved countless lives. He also left a remarkable national legacy through his substantial scientific achievements, often being referred to as the father of modern computing."
WWII codebreaker whose work may have shortened the war by two years was persecuted for being gay but pardoned after a long campaign.
During WW2, Alan Turing worked at the Government Code and Cypher School where he devised techniques which cracked the German Enigma code.