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British mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing was convicted of gross indecency in 1952, before being sentenced to chemical castration. Turing — who was instrumental in cracking the Nazi Enigma code during World War II and designed ACE, one of the worlds first stored-program computers — received the conviction for his homosexuality, and underwent a series of injections that left him impotent and growing breasts. The pardon was granted under the Royal Prerogative of Mercy after a request from Chris Grayling, the British governments Justice Minister, and comes after a lengthy campaign to secure an apology for Turings treatment. In 2009, a petition requesting a pardon prompted then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown to issue an apology for Turings appalling persecution.