WIKILEAKS FOUNDER Julian Assange moved a significant step closer to extradition to Sweden to face questioning over sexual molestation and rape allegations, following the Court of Appeal’s decision in London to reject his case.
Speaking briefly outside the Royal Courts of Justice, Mr Assange, who has not yet been charged with any offences, complained that British courts are not allowed under European arrest warrant rules to examine the detail of the allegations.
The Court of Appeal ruled against Mr Assange on all four points put forward by his legal team, including a declaration that having sex with one of the two women making allegations against him while she was asleep did not constitute rape under UK law.
In his ruling, the president of the Queen’s bench division, Sir John Thomas, said the Swedish courts had a right to examine the evidence and that the warrant was lawfully issued by a properly recognised judicial authority, was fair and accurate and was not disproportionate.
Mr Assange is now expected
to seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court, but he will first have to persuade judges for a certificate of general public importance before he will be able to do so.
If that is refused, he could be extradited before Christmas.
Mr Assange was arrested in London last December after the women made four allegations against him following a visit by him to Stockholm last August, including unlawful coercion, sexual molestation and one count of rape.
The Australian acknowledges that he had sex with the women, but insists that it was consensual.
The allegations have been made, he claims, as part of a campaign against him following his disclosures of hundreds of thousands of secret US diplomatic cables.
