Julian Assange, the secretive founder of the whistle-blowing WikiLeaks website, has today denied allegations of rape and sexual molestation and insisted he has never had non-consensual sex.

The 39-year-old Australian - whose website was behind the biggest leak of US military documents in history - was the subject of a Swedish arrest warrant on Friday after separate complaints made by two women.

But prosecutors withdrew the warrant to arrest him on suspicion of rape within 24 hours, saying the accusations against him lacked substance.

In a brief statement, the chief prosecutor, Eva Finne, said: "I don't think there is reason to suspect that he has committed rape".

Karin Rosander, from the Swedish Prosecution Authority, said Assange, believed to be in Sweden, remained suspected of molestation - a less serious charge that would not lead to an arrest warrant.