Assange may appeal ruling preventing him from leaving embassy in London

Julian Assange may appeal a ruling preventing him from leaving the Ecuadorian Embassy, his legal team revealed.

He lost his legal battle to walk free from the Embassy after a judge ruled he should still be charged over an outstanding UK arrest warrant.

The Wikileaks founder has been in his Knightsbridge bolthole in central London since 2012 after rape and sexual assault allegations were made in Sweden.

His supporters waved banners and chanted “free, free Assange” outside Westminster Magistrates Court after the judgement was handed down.

Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot said in her ruling she did not believe Assange was suffering due to his confinement to the Ecuadorian Embassy.

She said: “Mr Assange’s health problems could be a lot worse. I do not believe there is no sunlight. I’ve seen numerous photos of him on the balcony.”

Gareth Peirce who represented Assange and watched the court hearing, said her client had not decided whether to seek a judicial review or leave the Embassy to face the UK courts. She said: “The real likelihood, as he has said, if he came out of the embassy a US warrant would be immediately served on him.”