Julian Assange live news: WikiLeaks founder heads to Australia a free man as justice department says he is barred from returning to US | Julian Assange

Julian Assange had left Saipan as a free man on a plane to Canberra, Australia. He is expected to arrive around 19:30 local time.

Here are the main developments in Julian Assange hearing today:

• The court adjourned to Saipan, where WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange pleaded guilty to one count of publishing US military secrets. He was convicted by a judge Ramona V Manglona to time served. He left the yard free and is on his way to his native Australia.

• The judge said: “It appears that your 62 months … is fair, reasonable and proportionate to [Chelsea] Manning’s actual time in prison. WikiLeaks publishes classified documents obtained by Manning.

• The plea was part of a deal struck with the US Department of Justice that was expected to secure his freedom. It ends a nearly 14-year pursuit of the US publisher.

• The plea was filed Wednesday morning in federal court in Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. Pacific community. Assange, who had flown to Saipan from London via Bangkok, arrived in court shortly before the hearing began, wearing a dark suit with a loose tie at the collar. He did not want to face a hearing in the US mainland, which, along with its proximity to Australia, is why Saipan was chosen for the hearing.

• Following the sentencing, the US Department of Justice released a lengthy statement saying Assange would not be allowed back into the US. It said: “Following sentencing, he will depart the United States for his native Australia. Under the plea agreement, Assange is barred from returning to the United States without permission.

• Stella Assange, Julian’s wife, told Reuters on Tuesday that they would seek clemency if he pleaded guilty. If granted, he could be allowed to return to the US in the future.

• Assange left the court straight to Saipan Airport, where he is expected to board a flight to Canberra, Australia.

• Assange was accompanied in court by Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, and Australia’s high commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith. He was greeted by foreign and local media, but did not stop speaking to the assembled press, despite the questions directed at him.

• Australian human rights lawyer and member of Assange’s legal team, Jennifer Robinson, addressed the media after the sentencing, saying: “I hope that the fact that we were able to free Julian Assange today against all odds and against one of the most powerful governments in the world will give hope to all the journalists and publishers who are imprisoned around the world.”

• Assange’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, addressed the media, saying: “The prosecution of Julian Assange is unprecedented in 100 years of espionage, it has never been used by the United States to prosecute a publisher, a journalist, such as Mr. Assange. Mr. Assange disclosed true, newsworthy information, including revealing that the United States had committed war crimes. He has suffered tremendously in his fight for freedom of speech, for freedom of the press, and to ensure that the American public and the world community receive true and important newsworthy information.

The US Department of Justice has published extensively statement.

What is most impressive about it is that it says that “after the imposition of the sentence, he will leave the United States for his native Australia. According to the plea agreement, Assange is barred from returning to the United States without permission.”

Stella Assange, Julian’s wife, told Reuters on Tuesday that they would seek clemency if he pleaded guilty. If granted, he could be allowed to return to the US in the future.