'Very tough': Julian Assange sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for bail breach
A British judge has sentenced Julian Assange to 50 weeks in prison for skipping bail seven years ago and holing up in London’s Ecuadorian embassy.
Judge Deborah Taylor said on Wednesday it was hard to imagine a more serious version of the offence as she gave the 47-year-old Australian WikiLeaks founder a sentence close to the maximum of a year in custody.
She said Assange's seven years in the embassy had cost British taxpayers AU$29.5 million and said he sought asylum as a "deliberate attempt to delay justice”.
The white-haired Assange stood impassively with his hands clasped while the sentence was read.
His supporters in the public gallery at Southwark Crown Court chanted "Shame on you" at the judge as Assange was led away.
The Australian sought asylum in the South American country's London embassy in June 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he was wanted for questioning over rape and sexual assault allegations.
WikiLeaks founder’s letter read to court
Assange's lawyer Mark Summers told a courtroom packed with journalists and WikiLeaks supporters his client sought refuge in the embassy because "he was living with overwhelming fear of being rendered to the US”.
He said Assange had a "well-founded" fear he would be mistreated and possibly sent to the US detention camp for terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay.
Mr Summers read a letter from Assange apologising for his behaviour in 2012 and saying "I did what I thought was best”.
"I found myself struggling with terrifying circumstances," the letter said.
Assange was arrested on April 11 after Ecuador revoked his political asylum, accusing him of everything from meddling in the nation's foreign affairs to poor hygiene.
He faces a separate court hearing on Thursday on a US extradition request.
US authorities have charged Assange with conspiring to break into a Pentagon computer system.
‘Very dangerous’ extradition request
The almost year-long sentence imposed on Assange was labelled as "very tough" by his Australian-based barrister.
But while the 50-week sentence is at the top of the range it was important for people not to lose sight of the impending extradition request, barrister Greg Barns told AAP on Wednesday.
"This is a very dangerous request because it involves the US seeking to extradite a person who was upholding the values of freedom of speech and freedom of the media," he said.
"It must be resisted, it will be resisted," Mr Barns said of the extradition.
The 47-year-old's family were concerned about how high the sentence was, according to Mr Barns.
"But in a sense it's important the bail matter is now behind Julian so the focus can be on the very dangerous nature of the extradition request," he said.
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