In a letter read to the court, Assange said he had found himself "struggling with difficult circumstances". He apologised to those who "consider I've disrespected them", a packed Southwark Crown Court heard. "I did what I thought at the time was the best or perhaps the only thing that I could have done," he said.
In mitigation, Mark Summers QC had said his client was "gripped" by fears of rendition to the US over the years because of his work with whistle-blowing website Wikileaks. "As threats rained down on him from America, they overshadowed everything," he said.
Sentencing him, Judge Deborah Taylor told Assange it was difficult to envisage a more serious example of the offence.
"By hiding in the embassy you deliberately put yourself out of reach, while remaining in the UK," she said. She said this had "undoubtedly" affected the progress of the Swedish proceedings.
My 2c: ^^ this is fucking horse shit. The Swedes talked to Assange in the embassy & then dropped the case. They never charged him of a crime.
>> Read more, incl letter of apology
Comments
(Long Spike)
Mannnnn. He was THIS close to stripping naked in public and jacking off.