U.K. Has Spent £3m To Keep Assange Bottled Up

Laying siege to an embassy is spendy

The cost of a round-the-clock guard outside the Ecuadorean embassy in London, where Julian Assange took refuge last June, has reached almost £3m, the Metropolitan Police have said.

Scotland Yard estimated costs of £2.3m in pay that would have covered normal duties, and £600,000 on overtime.

The Wikileaks website founder faces extradition to Sweden over sexual assault allegations, which he denies.

Mr Assange, 41, fears onward extradition to the US.

He believes he could face charges there over the release of top secret documents by Wikileaks, whose publication of a mass of leaked diplomatic cables has embarrassed a number of countries.