THE HOME OFFICE’s attempt to claw back compensation awarded to two asylum-seekers whose personal data the department had accidentally published online was thrown out by the Court of Appeal today.

A monumental cock-up meant the names, dates of birth, immigration status and local asylum office of 1,598 “lead applicants for asylum or leave to remain” were available on the Home Office website for 13 days in October 2013.

Under Theresa May’s leadership, the Home Office published “family returns process” data online.