WikiLeaks' Assange Walks Free As Bail Upheld

Katie Cassidy and Huw Borland, Sky News Online  

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been released after being granted bail at the High Court.

He spoke outside Westminster Magistrates Court after being let out, despite an unsuccessful appeal being lodged against the decision.

"It's great to smell the fresh air of London again," he said.

The Australian is wanted for questioning over alleged sex offences committed in Stockholm while he was visiting the city in August.

Judge Mr Justice Ouseley rejected arguments that Assange was a flight risk and renewed bail, pending moves to extradite him to Sweden.

The country's director of prosecutions said the British decision "does not change the state of the case itself".

The Crown Prosecution Service issued a statement in response to claims it had been behind the move to appeal against Assange's bail.

It said: "The CPS acts as agents for the Swedish government in the case concerning Mr Assange.

"The Swedish Director of Prosecutions this morning confirmed she fully supported the appeal."

Sky News' foreign affairs editor Tim Marshall said: "CPS clearly felt they had to counter speculation that they had taken it on themselves.

"The statement fails to address who it really was that took the decision to oppose bail."

Assange's lawyer told reporters his team were "utterly delighted" at the result, adding that his client was the victim of a "continued vendetta".

Mark Stephens also said the £240,000 bail amount set by the magistrates court had been raised.

"We are going through the formalities, preparing sureties to go to police stations, arranging for the transfer of funds to the magistrates court, so that the security's there," he said.