Julian Assange today told a court that '175 years of my life is at stake' as he was told he will not face a full extradition hearing until early next year.

The Wikileaks founder appeared via video link at Westminster Magistrates' Court as he faces being extradited to the US over hacking top secret government documents.

A full hearing on the extradition request is now expected to take place in February, and is scheduled to last five days.

Assange is currently serving a 50-week prison sentence after being dragged out of the Ecuadorian embassy in April and jailed for a bail violation.

If Assange only serves half of his sentence, he could potentially be out of prison when the extradition hearing takes place.

Speaking outside court after the hearing, his lawyer Jennifer Robinson called the case 'an outrageous affront to journalistic protections.'

She said Assange is facing 'a significant, complex case of huge size and scale' and that it was 'incredible pressure' on him after he 'suffered significant health impacts as a result of his time inside the embassy and now inside prison.'

Julian Assange, pictured leaving the Ecuadorian Embassy on April 11, is facing possible extradition to the United States where officials want to charge him for leaking secrets

Jennifer Robinson, lawyer of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, addresses the media at Westminster Magistrates Court after today's hearing

Supporters of Julian Assange outside Westminster Magistrates' Court in London for the latest extradition case management hearing for the WikiLeaks founder

The hearing came just a day after Home Secretary Sajid Javid singed an extradition request from the US, making it increasingly likely he will be sent to the US to stand trial.

Assange is wanted across the Atlantic for what US officials call 'one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States'.

Jennifer Robinson, lawyer for Julain Assange, outside court today

If found guilty of all the charges against him, the Wikileaks founder could be jailed for 175 years.

Ben Brandon, representing the US, formally opened the case on Friday. Assange is fighting against extradition on 18 counts lodged in the US.

Assange, who had a scraggly white beard, told the court: '175 years of my life is effectively at stake.'

Addressing the judge as 'Lady Arbuthnot', he defended his website against hacking claims, saying: 'WikiLeaks is nothing but a publisher.'

The court also heard that he has a date at the Court of Appeal, with his legal team later explaining he is to appeal against his sentence.

Mark Summers QC, representing Assange, told the court there are a 'multiplicity of profound issues' with the extradition case.

'We say it represents an outrageous and full-frontal assault on journalistic rights,' he said.

Evidence will show that Assange 'first encouraged' former US army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to illegally obtain documents, Mr Brandon alleged.

The crowd of around a dozen supporters held banners, including one with the message 'Free Assange' outside Westminster Magistrates' Court today

Some protesters chanted 'justice for Julian Assange' and 'Defend freedom and democracy'

Then Assange agreed with her to 'crack' a password hash on a Pentagon computer, the lawyer continued.

'By taking steps to crack the password hash, it's said that Mr Assange was also attempting to illegally obtain and receive classified information,' Mr Brandon said.

The documents relate to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and, the lawyer alleged, information on secret intelligence sources.

'By publishing that unredacted material on the internet, Mr Assange created a grave and imminent risk that human intelligence sources, including journalists, human rights defenders and political activists, would suffer serious physical harm or arbitrary detention,' Mr Brandon said.

Julian Assange pictured as he is led out of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in handcuffs following his arrest by British police in April. He is being investigated in Sweden and the U.S.

Giving a statement outside court after the hearing, Jennifer Robinson, one of Julian Assange's lawyers, said: 'This case is an outrageous affront to journalistic protections.

What is the process for extraditing someone to the US and how far down the path is Julian Assange? 1. Extradition request is made to the Secretary of State. In Assange's case, this took place on Tuesday, when the U.S. authorities sent a formal request to Sajid Javid. 2. Secretary of State decides whether to certify the request. In Assange's case, this has happened 3. Judge decides whether to issue a warrant for arrest. This will not be necessary in Assange's case, as he is already in custody for breaching his bail. 4. Preliminary hearing. An earlier attempt to hold the hearing was delayed when Assange was said to be too ill to come to court. 5. Extradition hearing. A full hearing of the issues will later be presented to a court. U.S. Authorities will be represented by one team of lawyers. Assange will be represented by his own lawyers. A judge decides whether there is 'prima facie evidence of guilt' and whether extradition would breach a person's human rights. 6. Appeal. A judge's decision to extradite someone can be appealed in the High Court. Assange declined to consent to be extradite, suggesting he is planning to appeal any decision against him. 7. Secretary of State decides whether to order extradition. The final decision is then made by the Home Secretary. Mr Javid's comments today suggest that if he were to still be Home Secretary at that time, this would be a formality. 8. Possible further appeal. People facing extradition can also appeal the Home Secretary's rubber stamping of their case in the High Court and potentially the Supreme Court. The history of Assange's case suggests this is likely if the case gets this far. Advertisement

'This indictment will place a chilling impact and will affect journalists and publishers everywhere all over the world, by the US seeking to extradite and prosecute a publisher outside the US, who is not a US citizen, for having published truthful information about the United States.'

She said the material included 'evidence of war crimes, human rights abuse and corruption the world over'.

She added that Assange's legal team are 'very concerned about his health' as he remains in a healthcare ward at Belmarsh prison in south east London.

Ms Robinson said: 'He is under a huge amount of pressure and in very difficult circumstances. He is facing, a significant, complex case of huge size and scale and that is incredible pressure to be placed upon someone who has already suffered significant health impacts as a result of his time inside the embassy and now inside prison.

'It has been difficult to have access to him. Its difficult to prepare the case in circumstances where he is in a healthcare ward, where he doesn't have access to a computer to be able to prepare the case, and that's why such a long timetable was set down today.

'We continue to have concerns about the adequacy of the facilities we have which are fundamental to his right to be able to defend himself in these proceedings.

'These are incredibly serious charges which impact upon typical newsgathering activities that journalists engage in all the time the world over.'

Protesters earlier gathered outside court holding banners, including one with the message 'Free Assange'.

Some chanted 'justice for Julian Assange' and 'Defend freedom and democracy'.

Mr Javid said he had signed and certified an extradition order on Wednesday, although the final decision rests with the courts.

Protestor Jeannie Farr, who was outside Westminster Magistrates' Court today said the US request was 'illegal and immoral.'

She said: 'It completely forgets the due process of law.

'We used to have some notion in a democracy that you were innocent until proven guilty.'

US actress Pamela Anderson also visited Assange at the high-security jail on May 7

On Monday, Assange was today visited by his Chinese artist Ai Weiwei (left) and his father John Shipton (right) at HMP Belmarsh in London

Ms Farr, who travelled to the demonstration from Stratford-upon-Avon, added: 'I don't think a process can be legal if it's been set in motion through illegal actions and taking Julian Assange from the Ecuadorian embassy was not done in any way from the rule of law.'

And an investigation has also been reopened into an allegation of rape in Sweden, which Assange has always denied.

Mr Javid told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I am very pleased that the police were finally able to apprehend him and now he's rightly behind bars because he broke UK law.

'There is an extradition request from the US... I signed the extradition order and certified it and that will be going in front of the courts.'

He said it was a decision for the courts over whether Assange should be extradited.

Mr Javid added: 'There is a very important part of it for the Home Secretary and I want to see justice done at all times and we've got a legitimate extradition request so I've signed it but the final decision is now with the courts.'

HMP Belmarsh in London, where Assange is serving 50 weeks for skipping bail but could be extradited to the US

A Home Office spokesman said: 'Mr Assange was arrested in relation to a provisional extradition request from the United States of America.

'He is accused of offences including computer misuse and the unauthorised disclosure of national defence information.

'We have received the full extradition request, which has been certified by the Home Secretary.

'This case is now before the courts and it would be inappropriate to comment further.'

This week Assange has been visited in prison by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei and his father. Former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson has also been to see him.

Last month he was moved to a medical ward at Belmarsh as his supporters expressed 'grave concerns' about his health.

Weiwei, who was detained without charge in China for 81 days in 2011 during a crackdown on political activists, is believed to have previously visited Assange in 2015 when he was holed up inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

Assange's father John Shipton said after visiting his son: 'It was just very moving to see Julian, particularly in those circumstances, coming out of sick bay and having lost 10kg weight.'

He said: 'I think he'll be alright.'