Final answer:
Alan Turing was the computer genius that faced persecution for his sexuality in Great Britain. Known for breaking the Enigma code during World War II, he was later prosecuted for being homosexual, which led to his untimely death. Turing is celebrated as the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The code breaker and computer genius persecuted for his sexuality in Great Britain mentioned in your question is Alan Turing. Turing was a pioneering computer scientist, mathematician, and a key figure in breaking the Enigma code during World War II. In 1952, however, he was prosecuted for homosexual acts and chose chemical castration over prison. Tragically, Alan Turing died in 1954 from cyanide poisoning.
Turing's work during the war was highly secretive, and it wasn't until years later that his role became widely known. He is considered the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence. The Enigma machine was a complex code machine used by the Germans during World War II, and Turing's work in decrypting its messages was crucial to the Allied war effort, most notably showcased by his role in the development of the Enigma decoding machine. Despite his monumental contributions to science and the war, his legacy was marred by the discriminatory policies of the time towards homosexuality, which Britain later sought to rectify posthumously.