The Ecuadorian embassy considered smuggling Julian Assange in fancy dress to avoid the constant police vigil waiting for him, new documents have revealed.
The documents, revealed by Ecuadorian journalist Fernando Villavicencio and Buzzfeed, suggest different ways for the Wikileaks founder to escape the Knightsbridge embassy where he has been for the three years, hiding from extradition to Sweden where he faces a charge of sexual assault.
“Assange could leave in fancy dress or try to escape across the rooftops towards a nearby helipad, or get lost among the people in Harrods,” the documents say.
Our pictures editor Elliot Wagland Photoshopped his best efforts of what Assange pushing past police officers to leave might look like.
The documents also suggested taking him away in a diplomatic car but embassy officials noted the Metropolitan Police are blocking all the routes out and would stop it.
“Police are located in the hall, on the stairs, and the exits of the lifts. The British police can be found in all the routes that would allow Assange to take a diplomatic car,” the leaked memos say.
The memos also describe an altercation between Assange and a guard, reportedly after being in a secure control room where he was not allowed. They also describe how, in August 2012, embassy staff had to remove a police officer from within the premises.
The cost of keeping police officers outside the embassy between June 2012, when he went in, and April of this year was £9.2 million.
Assange no longer faces three of the four allegations against him as the five-year statute of limitations on them mean they can no longer be pursued.
Assange still faces an allegation of rape, which will not be "time-barred" for another five years.
They were made in August 2010 by two women.
Assange recently said he feared, not only extradition, but also assassination if he left the embassy.
"I'm a white guy," he said. "Unless I convert to Islam it's not that likely that I'll be droned, but we have seen things creeping towards that."