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| Britain |
| Julian Assange backers ordered to pay £93,500 sureties |
| 2012-10-08 |
| Nine people who provided sureties to enable WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to get bail were today ordered to forfeit £93,500. Among those out of pocket are a Nobel prize winner, an award winning journalist, the wife of a former Labour minister and the actress and model the Marchioness of Worcester. Others including Jemima Khan who had put up securities for Assange have already lost their money after Assange fled to the Ecuador embassy in Knightsbridge in breach of his bail conditions. In a ruling today Chief Magistrate Howard Riddle said he had some sympathy with those offering sureties so they should not have to pay the full £140,000 they had put up. “In declining to publicly (or as far as I know privately) urge Mr Assange to surrender himself they have acted against self-interest. They have acted on their beliefs and principles throughout. In what is sometimes considered to be a selfish age, that is admirable. “I cannot avoid taking some account of their integrity but I approach this decision on the basis that I should forfeit no more than is necessary, in public policy, to maintain the integrity and confidence of the system of taking sureties so that a person may be released on bail.” The nine are: retired educationalist Professor Tricia Davies who must pay £10,000 (she had put up £20,000), Lady Evans — better known as literary agent Caroline Michel — £15,000 (£20,000), Assange’s assistant Joseph Farrell £3,500 (£5,000), Assange’s ex-girlfriend Sarah Harrison £3,500 (£5,000), ex-Sunday Times journalist Philip Knightley £12,000 (£20,000), Kent caterer Sarah Saunders £12,000 (£20,000), Frontline Club owner Vaughan Smith £15,000 (£20,000), Nobel prize winning biologist Sir John Sulston £15,000 (£20,000) and Tracy Worcester £7,500 (£10,000). The court heard that Mr Smith, speaking for his colleagues, said it would be a betrayal if they criticised Assange for losing them their money. Also amongst them was Michael Moore who may have to go on a diet for a week. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #3 "it would be a betrayal if they criticised Assange for losing them their money" Then they deserve whatever happens to them - ASSange betrayed them. Idiots. |
| Posted by: Barbara 2012-10-08 19:12 |
| #2 so they weren't raped. They gave their consent. Unlike the others |
| Posted by: Frank G 2012-10-08 18:29 |
| #1 They chose... poorly. |
| Posted by: Raj 2012-10-08 16:06 |