Wikileaks' Julian Assange remains locked up until Swedish appeal
Tuesday 14 December 2010
Latest in Crime
Related articles
On Facebook
From the blogs
Sepp Blatter: Penalty shoot-outs must remain, they’re football’s great leveller
As England supporters, we should scorn at any such deciding factor within football. On so many occas...
Why do some men consider the street as a female meat market?
Pronouncements on sexual inequality in the UK are normally met with an eye roll by my generation. As...
Political corruption reflects the widening chasm between the political class and the electorate
The corruption and hypocrisy which has come to characterise politics and politicians, and in particu...
Despite its popularity, the death penalty would allow the state to kill innocent people
The University of Michigan law school and Northwestern University have just compiled a database of o...
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange remains in custody tonight after Swedish prosecutors appealed against a decision to grant him bail.
The 39-year-old Australian is wanted in Sweden over claims he sexually assaulted two women.
At an extradition hearing at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court this afternoon, a judge granted him conditional bail - only for him to be told two hours later that he must remain behind bars pending the appeal, which must be heard within the next 48 hours.
Speaking outside the court, solicitor Mark Stephens said: "Finally, after two hours we have heard that the Swedes will not abide with the umpire's decision and they want to put Mr Assange through yet more trouble, more expense and more hurdles.
"They clearly will not spare any expense to keep Mr Assange in jail. This is really turning into a show trial.
"We will be in court again in the next 48 hours. But they have not given us the courtesy of telling us when we will be in court."
Asked how Assange reacted to the news, Mr Stephens added: "He is phlegmatic."
Assange was first remanded in custody a week ago but his legal team made a successful appeal against the decision today, with several well-known backers again offering thousands of pounds in sureties.
District Judge Howard Riddle granted him bail on condition he provide a security of £200,000 to the court and guarantee two sureties, each of £20,000.
He told him his passport would have to remain with the police, he could not apply for international travel, must abide by a curfew and stay at Ellingham Hall near Bungay in Suffolk, a 10-bedroom estate surrounded by 600 acres of grounds.
The estate is owned by Captain Vaughan Smith, who served in the British Army before setting up the Frontline Club in Paddington, London, in 2003.
Cpt Smith said: "I have met Mr Assange very frequently over the last five months or so.
"The Julian Assange I know has a number of qualities: he's a very honourable person, hugely courageous, self-deprecatory - none of the things you read about."
Assange, who appeared in the dock in a black suit and white shirt, was also told he would be tagged and must report to a local police station every evening.
He waved to his lawyer as he entered the packed court room and spoke to confirm his name, date of birth and address in Victoria, Australia.
On hearing later that he must await the prosecution's appeal in prison, he said: "I understand."
Lawyer Gemma Lindfield, on behalf of the Swedish authorities, reminded the court during the hearing it had "already found that Mr Assange is a flight risk".
She said: "It's submitted that nothing has changed since last week to allay the court's fears in this regard."
But Judge Riddle disagreed, saying that two matters had changed since he made his decision to remand Assange in custody last Tuesday.
Firstly, the former hacker's address had not been verified by the police when he appeared in the dock last week, whereas the matter of his residence had "now been dealt with completely and entirely to my satisfaction", he said.
Secondly, a question mark hung last week over his entry into the country, with Ms Lindfield saying there was no trace of him coming into the UK.
But the judge said this matter had also been cleared up now and no longer troubled him.
- 1 Mark Zuckerberg saved $111m by selling Facebook shares before stock slumped
- 2 Brazil rocked by abortion for 9-year-old rape victim
- 3 Schoolboy spiked brownies with cannabis in cookery class
- 4 News in pictures
- 5 Lawyers told Hunt to stay out of Sky deal
- 6 Spain races to bail out bank as debt fears stalk Europe
- 7 Catcalls, whistles, groping: the everyday picture of sexual harassment in London
- 8 Actress Keira Knightley to marry rocker
- 9 Hollande visits the French troops he's taking home
- 10 Cameron aide's cosy chats with News Corp revealed
- 1 Mark Zuckerberg saved $111m by selling Facebook shares before stock slumped
- 2 Brazil rocked by abortion for 9-year-old rape victim
- 3 Schoolboy spiked brownies with cannabis in cookery class
- 4 Police letter reveals St Paul’s cathedral involvement in Occupy eviction
- 5 Fat? Really? Olympic hope laughs off official’s jibe – but others aren’t amused
- 6 'Hello mum, this is going to be hard for you to read ...'
- 7 African monkey meat that could be behind the next HIV
- 8 Cameron aide's cosy chats with News Corp revealed
- 9 Coke reveals its secret: It may need to carry a cancer warning
- 10 French in uproar over oral sex anti-smoking posters
Experience the Heineken Hub
Get free wi-fi and exclusive i content while you enjoy a tasty pint of Heineken at participating pubs.
Can you imagine a career in teaching?
Be inspired to teach - let real teachers show you how rewarding the job can be.
Playing a game-changing role during the Games
Cisco is providing the solutions for London 2012's complex IT needs.
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
Career Services
Day In a Page
Ridley Scott: The most macho man in movies?
Gallic gourmets put France back on culinary map
The outsider: Margaret Howell
For men only: A pilgrimage to Mount Athos
Feeding a hungry world – or meddling with laws of nature?


