A final court of appeals in England struck down a centuries-old gay sex ban in Trinidad and Tobago in a ruling on Tuesday that activists around the world celebrated.

The ruling ended a nearly 10-year battle for gay rights in the twin-island nation and cannot be appealed.

"Those laws cannot be regarded as reasonably justifiable in a society that has a proper respect for the rights and freedom of the individual," said Judge Philip James Sales of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.