Police have deleted Conservative shadow immigration minister Damian Green's DNA records from their database.
The announcement has been seen as a minor victory for civil liberties campaigners who have expressed concern at the fact 800,000 innocent people currently have their DNA kept on record.
Mr Green arrested in connection with a leak probe in his Westminster office last autumn, causing a huge political storm.
The crown prosecution service subsequently decided there was insufficient evidence to charge him over the leaking of documents from within government.
'I am delighted that the Metropolitan police has recognised that keeping the DNA records of someone who should not have been arrested in the first place is wrong. This is a small but significant victory for freedom,' Mr Green said earlier this week.
'But this is only a first step. I want every innocent person who has been arrested and whose records are being wrongly held to be treated the same as me.'
The Metropolitan police had described Mr Green's case as 'exceptional' and pledged to delete his records 'within weeks'.
Campaigners have argued their decision is a tacit admission their initial arrest of Mr Green was a mistake.
The announcement has been seen as a minor victory for civil liberties campaigners who have expressed concern at the fact 800,000 innocent people currently have their DNA kept on record.
Mr Green arrested in connection with a leak probe in his Westminster office last autumn, causing a huge political storm.
The crown prosecution service subsequently decided there was insufficient evidence to charge him over the leaking of documents from within government.
'I am delighted that the Metropolitan police has recognised that keeping the DNA records of someone who should not have been arrested in the first place is wrong. This is a small but significant victory for freedom,' Mr Green said earlier this week.
'But this is only a first step. I want every innocent person who has been arrested and whose records are being wrongly held to be treated the same as me.'
The Metropolitan police had described Mr Green's case as 'exceptional' and pledged to delete his records 'within weeks'.
Campaigners have argued their decision is a tacit admission their initial arrest of Mr Green was a mistake.
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