THE Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has admitted destroying key emails relating to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Potentially sensitive and revealing information exchanged between the CPS and Swedish prosecutors was deleted after the retirement of a CPS lawyer in 2014.

The revelation comes ahead of an information tribunal hearing in London next week, pressing the CPS to release more information.

Mr Assange is still holed up in Ecuador’s London embassy, claiming he will be extradited to the United States if he emerges.

Mr Assange has been involved in high-profile leaks including the Iraq war logs, US State Department cables and Democratic Party emails.

His extradition was sought by Sweden as part of a preliminary inquiry into rape allegations. The case has now been dropped and could be reopened.

An email from the CPS to the Swedes in 2010 or 2011 urged them not to interview Mr Assange in London, which barrister Jennifer Robinson — who has represented him — said raised questions over “whether this case would have continued for such a long time.”