Costs rising ... Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is proving to be a big expense for the UK. Picture: Getty Source: Supplied
THE cost of ensuring Australian Julian Assange doesn’t escape justice from his diplomatic bolt hole in central London has risen to almost $20 million.
The 43-year-old Assange has been holed-up in the Ecuadorean embassy in up-market Kensington now since June 19, 2012 after he sought diplomatic immunity against extradition to Sweden where he faces questioning on two counts of sexual assault of two women in 2010.
Assange sought immunity claiming the charges had been trumped up by the Swedish courts at the behest of United States authorities who want to charge him with the public disclosure of thousands of state secrets from that country.
Under British court orders, Scotland Yard has been forced to maintain a 24-hour, seven day a week vigil around the embassy building to ensure Assange cannot escape the country and seek immunity elsewhere.
Police officers stand outside the Ecuadorean. Picture: Getty Source: Supplied
In new figures released today, the police have admitted the cost of their operation to seek the arrest of just the one man, on charges of jumping bail, amount to $20,480 a day or a total by today of $19.5 million since he first gained sanctuary. At any one time, there has to be three officers outside the embassy.
According to British media, the cost equated to having 343 extra cops on the beat for a year in London.
Assange has long maintained the police had been campaigning to get him out and even monitor his guests, mostly starstruck fans or B-grade celebrities, who come for a picture opportunity with him.
In recent times the fugitive has declaring himself a persecuted journalist who had just been doing his job for his Wikileaks organisation.
The British government has invited Swedish prosecutors to London to interview the fugitive in his besieged embassy squat but the offer has been turned down.
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