Julian Assange live news: WikiLeaks founder leaves court in Saipan a free man as lawyers condemn prosecution | Julian Assange

Here are the key developments in the Julian Assange hearing today:

• Court has adjourned in Saipan, where WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange pled guilty to a single felony charge for publishing US military secrets. He was sentenced by Judge Ramona V Manglona to time served. He has left the court a free man, and is on his way to his native Australia.

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

• The plea was part of a deal struck with the US justice department that was expected to secure his freedom. It ends the almost 14-year-long pursuit of the publisher by the US.

• The plea was entered Wednesday morning in federal court in Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, a US commonwealth in the Pacific. Assange, who had flown to Saipan from London via Bangkok, arrived at court shortly before the hearing was to begin, wearing a dark suit with a tie loosened at the collar. He did not want to face a hearing on 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 that Assange would not be allowed back into the US. It said, “Following the imposition of sentence, he will depart the United States for his native Australia. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Assange is prohibited from returning to the United States without permission.”

• Stella Assange, the wife of Julian, told Reuters on Tuesday they would seek a pardon were he to plead guilty. If this were granted, he might be allowed to return to the US in future.

• Assange departed from the court straight to the airport in Saipan, where he is expected to board a flight for Canberra, Australia.

• Assange was accompanied in the court Australian ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, and Australian high commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith. He was greeted by foreign and local media, but did not stop to speak to the gathered press despite the questions being shouted 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 have been able to free Julian Assange today against all of the odds and against one of the most powerful governments in the world will give hope to all 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 the 100 years of the espionage act, it has never been used by United States to pursue a publisher, a journalist, like Mr Assange. Mr Assange revealed truthful, newsworthy information, including revealing that the United States had committed war crimes. He has suffered tremendously in his fight for free speech, for freedom of the press, and to ensure that the American public and the world community gets truthful and important newsworthy information.”

The US Justice Department has released a lengthy statement.

What is most immediately striking about it is that it says that, “following the imposition of sentence, he will depart the United States for his native Australia. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Assange is prohibited from returning to the United States without permission.”

Stella Assange, the wife of Julian, told Reuters on Tuesday they would seek a pardon were he to plead guilty. If this were granted, he might be allowed to return to the US in future.

Julian Assange has just left the courtroom to applause and a huge media scrum. He gave a quick wave to those gathered before getting into a vehicle, but did not appear to say anything.

Helen Davidson

Australian human rights lawyer and member of Assange’s legal team, Jennifer Robinson, is now addressing the media.

She says it’s a historic day and finally after 14 days he can go home a free man.

She thanks his supporters around the world and noted a “global movement behind Julian to protect free speech.” She then turned to thank the Australian government:

In particular, I want to thank our prime minister Anthony Albanese for his statesmanship, his principled leadership and his diplomacy, which made this outcome possible … He raised at the highest level, at every opportunity, and when Australian officials were making outreach to the US, they knew that they were acting with the full authority of the prime minister of Australia…

I also want to thank our attorney-general Mark Dreyfus, our foreign minister Penny Wong and give particular thanks to our US ambassador and former prime minister Kevin Rudd for his adept diplomacy and his relentless efforts in Washington that facilitated our negotiations with US government and this outcome.

Helen Davidson

He won’t answer how long it took to get this deal.

62 months in Belmarsh.

Julian Assange’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, is now addressing the media outside the court:

The prosecution of Julian Assange is unprecedented in the 100 years of the espionage act, it has never been used by United States to pursue a publisher, a journalist, like Mr Assange.

Mr Assange revealed truthful, newsworthy information, including revealing that the United States had committed war crimes. He has suffered tremendously in his fight for free speech, for freedom of the press, and to ensure that the American public and the world community gets truthful and important newsworthy information.

We firmly believe that Mr Assange never should have been charged under the espionage act and engaged in [an] exercise that journalists engage in everyday and we are thankful that they do. … It is appropriate for the judge, as she did today, to determine that no additional incarceration of Mr Assange would be fair, appropriate, and it is time for him to be reunited with his family.

Mr Assange is grateful for all of the support that he has received and looks forward to reuniting with his wife and his children and getting back home to Australia.

He said that Assange would not be taking questions.

Helen Davidson

The media are now waiting outside the court for a potential press conference – we’ll bring you the latest as soon as we can.