Let him stew… he has used and abused our laws

NOW, I have never met Julian Assange but someone who has described him to me as ‘strange and creepy’. For sure, not all his supporters stand by him once they know him better. The women in Sweden who have made complaints against him were once strong supporters of WikiLeaks. Now they complain he sexually violated them.

Those who say they are victims are entitled to have their complaints heard fully. Assange is entitled to and should submit himself to a fair prosecution and possible trial.

This has nothing to do with WikiLeaks. Sweden, a civilised country with admirable civil liberties, wants to follow due legal process. Assange allegedly believes in due process – therefore he should submit himself to the judgment of the Swedish court.

After all, he has taken full advantage of our legal system. Having been arrested here, he has been provided with the full panoply of the best system of judicial scrutiny in the world. He was given bail, supported by generous individuals. How they must regret his disloyalty now, as they face the loss of their savings as a result of his absconding to Ecuador’s Embassy in West London.

Assange has been represented by a formidable legal team, led by one of the country’s most admired QCs, Dinah Rose. He used our legal system and adopted it until it no longer suited his purpose, then flouted British law by breaking his bail. His status as our least welcome guest of 2012 is assured.

Assange is fortunate that he was able to rely on British judges and advocates, and that he is merely fighting a Swedish warrant. In a country such as Russia, for example, like Pussy Riot’s stars he would not have had a prayer.

As for the friends he chooses, I would take my chance in Sweden rather than go anywhere near Ecuador, which is 102 in a world civil liberties index. President Correa belongs to a small club of heads of state noted mainly for their eccentricity, alongside Robert Mugabe and the late Colonel Gaddafi.

The country has a Byzantine legal framework, complicated by political corruption, and crowded jails with defendants awaiting trial, some no more than political opponents of the government.

Jail sentences await those who merely criticise the president, or even public officials. What is fair in Ecuador is what is wanted by Correa and his ministers. A great legal system like ours requires no lessons from him.

The most obvious example of the posturing of Ecuador in this bizarre case is its accusation that the real agenda is to send

LAssange to a potential death penalty in the US. Had they bothered to ask even a junior law student here, they would have been told that Britain sends no one to any country where they might face the death penalty.

Suspects extradited anywhere on murder charges go only once a credible guarantee has been given that the death penalty will not be sought. This applies to Sweden too. In any event, currently there is no extradition request of any kind by the US.

So I urge our Government to stay calm about the case, to allow Assange to stew in his two rooms in a small and dingy embassy. During Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg’s absences on holiday, the Foreign Office issued a threat that police would storm the embassy. I don’tknow what legal advice was obtained beforehand, but William Hague was absolutely right to back off the idea.

So what happens next? Assange has nowhere to go. The moment he steps out of the embassy he will be seized. Whether on foot, in a crate or suitcase, he cannot leave the UK lawfully.

He faces inevitable extradition to Sweden, possibly after serving a prison sentence here for jumping bail. ATER he might face a US warrant: WikiLeaks is a serious issue. But that is a separate consideration, for another day, for which once again he might be able to take advantage of the services of our fine judges and lawyers.

From 1956 to 1971, Cardinal Mindszenty lived in the American Embassy in Budapest, a fugitive from Soviet oppression. Of course, his oppressor was a large, confident, nuclear state. Even in that case, diplomacy worked in the end.

Ecuador is no Soviet Union. We can reasonably expect other South American countries to use diplomacy and a dose of common sense to bring this situation to an end.

Assange isn’t worth the damage that he can do to Ecuador’s reputation. I cannot imagine this odd, alleged sex offender is a truly welcome guest for those working in the Knightsbridge embassy.

The Embassy staff know perfectly well the superiority of our legal system and civil liberties compared with their own.

This is a case that should and will be settled calmly and successfully by a combination of patience, diplomacy – and the estimable and envied values of British law.