British police yesterday served an extradition notice on WikiLeaks website founder Julian Assange, who has taken refuge in Ecuador’s embassy in London requesting asylum.

Scotland Yard said they had served a “surrender notice” on the 40-year-old Australian requiring him to attend a police station, adding that failure to do so would make him further liable to arrest.

Mr Assange faces extradition to Sweden over allegations of sexual assault and rape against two former female WikiLeaks volunteers, having exhausted his options under UK law when the Supreme Court overturned his appeal against extradition earlier this month.

Fearing Stockholm would pass him on to the US, he went to Ecuador’s embassy in London on June 19, asking the South American country for political asylum.

Scotland Yard has “served a surrender notice upon a 40-year-old man that requires him to attend a police station at date and time of our choosing,” a spokesman said.

“This is standard practice in extradition cases and is the first step in the removal process.

“He remains in breach of his bail conditions. Failing to surrender would be a further breach and he is liable to arrest.”