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Court 1 at Westminster Magistrates Court is now in session. The Julian Assange case is not up yet but the lawyers for the Crown Prosecution Service (acting for the US government) are in court.
The public gallery is full. As are the press benches.
Julian Assange in court. He is asked to take a seat
He is in a black shirt and a black jacket. He waves to the public gallery and gives a thumbs up
District Judge Michael Snow tells the public gallery they should not have their phones out, unless they are members of the press tweeting.
The hearing cannot start as Julian Assange’s legal team are not in court yet
Julian Assange is reading a Gore Vidal book
The book is Gore Vidal’s History of the National Security State
Julian Assange’s legal team are in court
Asked his name Assange says “My name is Julian Paul Assange”
The court is told Julian Assange was arrested this morning in two warrants
The court is hearing the history of the Swedish sexual offences case through the UK courts, and how after his appeal failed Julian Assange entered the Ecuadorean embassy in June 2012 in breach of his bail
Assange was arrested this morning on a warrant arising from that breach of bail
The second warrant relates to an extradition request from the US issued in Dec 2017 (issued by the District Judge presiding over today’s case)
The court is hearing how Julian Assange was arrested at 10.15 this morning
Officers tried to introduce themselves but he barged past them. He resisted and shouted “this is unlawful”. He had to be restrained and officers struggled to handcuff him. He shouted again “This is unlawful, I am not leaving” as he was led to the police van
Julian Assange is told that one charge he faces is that he failed to surrender on 29th June 2012. He pleads “not guilty”
He is told that the US warrant says that between Jan 2010 and July 2010 he conspired with Chelsea Manning to “effectuate” unauthorised disclosure.
The court is now discussing whether Julian Assange has to give evidence to explain why he failed to surrender to bail
Julian Assange will not give evidence
Julian Assange’s lawyer says that District Judge Emma Arbuthnot who heard this case at previous hearings should have recused herself because of “bias”
District Judge Michael Snow tells the defence it is “unacceptable in front of a packed press gallery to traduce the reputation of the senior District Judge”. He says it is “grossly unfair”
District Judge Michael Snow finds Julian Assange guilty of failing to surrender
He says Julian Assange’s behaviour is “the behaviour of a narcissist who cannot get beyond his own selfish interest”
He sends Julian Assange to the Crown Court for sentencing as the offence was so serious
Julian Assange will next appear on the 2nd of May by video link at this court on the extradition matter. He will next appear on the bail offence at Southwark Crown Court on a date to be announced. Hearing over.
“Free, free, free Assange” they shout 
The US Justice Dept describes the charge Julian Assange faces as “conspiracy to commit computer intrusion”, saying the charge carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison
