Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has lost his UK Supreme Court fight against extradition to Sweden to face accusations of sex offences, BBC reported.

Lord Phillips, the court's president said he had lost by a majority of five justices to two.

The court ruled the extradition request had been "lawfully made".

Dinah Rose QC, for Mr Assange, said the Supreme Court's decision could have been made on legal points not argued during the appeal - and she needed time to consider asking the court to reopen the case.

In a statement, the Supreme Court said: "Following this morning's judgment by the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom in Assange v The Swedish Prosecution Authority, Ms Rose has indicated that she may make an application to re-open the court's decision.

"Ms Rose suggested that the majority of the court appear to have based their decision on the interpretation of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, on which no argument was heard and no opportunity of making submission was given.

"The Supreme Court has granted Ms Rose 14 days to make such an application. If she decides to do so, the justices will then decide whether to re-open the appeal and accept further submissions either verbally through a further hearing, or on paper on the matter."

The decision to stay the extradition order means that it cannot become active until 13 June - but it would be further delayed were there to be additional submissions.

The 40-year-old Australian is accused of raping one woman and "sexually molesting and coercing" another in Stockholm in August 2010, but he claims the allegations against him are politically motivated.

Assange's Wikileaks website published material from leaked diplomatic cables embarrassing several governments.

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