Mr Assange, 45, has lived in the Ecuadoran embassy in London since 2012, trying to avoid extradition. He feared being extradited to the US if sent to Sweden. He could face trial in the US over the leaking hundreds of thousands of secret US military and diplomatic documents. A brief statement ahead of a press conference by the prosecutor later on Friday said: "Director of Public Prosecution, Ms Marianne Ny, has today decided to discontinue the investigation regarding suspected rape (lesser degree) by Julian Assange."