Julian Assange embassy police patrol 'sucking' resources says Metropolitan Police chief

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe says that monitoring the Wikileaks founder is a drain on vital resources

Julian Assange on the balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy, London (John Nguyen/Jnvisuals/Rex Features)

Julian Assange surveillance is "sucking" police resources, says Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe.

Hogan-Howe said that the Wikileaks' founder's political asylum at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London was a "drain".

"We are reviewing the way forward there," he told LBC radio.

"There is no doubt it's a drain, we'll look to see what other opportunities we have, how we can do that in the future. It's sucking our resources."

It was revealed by the radio station last week that Assange's residency at the Knightsbridge embassy has cost £10 million so far. Police are required to constantly patrol the embassy to apprehend the journalist should he leave.

Assange has been staying in the embassy since June 2012. He is avoiding extradition to Sweden for questioning over allegations that he assaulted two women in Stockholm, which he strongly denies. He believes if he is extradited to Sweden that he will then be forced to go to the United States for publishing secret files revealing sensitive informational about national security.

He told reporters in August last year that his health had suffered from being in confinement.