Julian Assange’s father attended court, where his son’s legal team complained that his prison computer is not good enough (Pictures: Getty)

Julian Assange is unable to work on his extradition case in prison because he has been given an unsuitable computer, a court has been told.

The 48-year-old WikiLeaks founder is accused of leaking US government secrets in one of the largest breaches of confidential information in history. He is fighting attempts to get him to America to face charges.

But appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court via video-link today, Assange’s lawyers said he was unable to work on his case with the machine he has been given.

During today’s five-minute hearing, attended by supporters including his father, John Shipton, Assange’s remand in HMP Belmarsh was extended.




He was set to be released from the high-security prison in September but was remanded in custody due to fears that he would abscond after he spent nearly seven years in the Ecuadorean embassy in London.

John Shipton, father of Julian Assange, leaving Westminster Magistrates Court today (Picture: Getty Images)

Gareth Peirce, representing Assange, told the court that her client was unable to adequately prepare for his ‘very challenging case’ as the computer he had been given was not suitable.

Ms Peirce said: ‘I will put it on the record, you will understand that we are working extremely hard on this very challenging case; however, the most important of the impediments that we are facing is Mr Assange’s ability to access what he needs to work on his own case.

‘After months of battle he was provided with a computer but it is not the sort of computer needed to work on the case.’

Speaking outside court, a member of Assange’s team added that the computer was unlikely to have internet access needed for research.

During the hearing, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser said she had no jurisdiction over the prison conditions.

Protesters in Trafalgar Square demand the release of Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning

earlier this week (Picture: Rex Features)

Assange has a number of vocal supporters (Picture: Alamy Live News)

Ms Peirce replied that she wanted to ‘exert pressure as best we can’ on Belmarsh to improve the computer facilities.

Assange – who wore a grey prison-issue jumper and thin-rimmed glasses and spoke only to confirm his identity – will remain in custody ahead of a substantive case management hearing on December 19.

He will appear again at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on December 13 to confirm his remand in prison again before he ultimately appears for full extradition proceedings in February.

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