It's currently just past 12:30 in Singapore, 05:30 in London and 14:30 in Canberra - where Assange is expected to land later this afternoon. If you're just joining us now, here's what you need to know:

• As part of a plea deal reached with the US, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange pleaded guilty to one charge of breaching the Espionage Act for leaking thousands of classified documents
• In return, he was sentenced by Judge Ramona Manglona to time served due to his time spent at London's Belmarsh prison and was allowed to walk free
• The plea was part of a deal struck with the US and ends a years-long battle by Assange against extradition to the US to face 18 felony charges
• One of Assange's lawyers say that Wikileaks's work will continue and that Assange "will be a continuing force for freedom of speech and transparency in government"
• Assange is due to arrive in the Australian capital Canberra at around 18:41 local time (08:41 GMT)

Supporters of Julian Assange have gathered outside of the US Consulate General in Sydney to toast his release.

Some popped champagne, others shared food or waved signs at passers by.

Assange has divided public opinion in Australia at times, but in recent years there has been a noticable uptick in support for him.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had been advocating for his release since taking office in 2022, and a large bipartisan group of lawmakers travelled to Washington last September to put pressure on their US counterparts.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

A former CIA chief of staff, Larry Pfeiffer, has been talking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, saying he believes the plea deal is "fair" and "not unusual".

But Pfeiffer says Assange likely would have been reunited with his family even sooner if he hadn't fought every step of the way.

"I believe [he] served more time in his self-imposed exile at the Ecuadorean embassy and his time in UK prisons fighting extradition than he probably would have served if he had came over to America and faced a judge and jury and been convicted."

He said the US probably came to the negotiating table to protect intelligence sources and methods - and because the case was causing "diplomatic irritants" in its relationships with Australia and the UK.

• As a reminder, Assange claimed asylum at the Ecuadorean embassy in London in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden over a sexual assault case that was later dropped

Image source, EPA

Assange's father, John Shipton, has credited Australians for their efforts that led to his release.

"It's the Australian people. I am so proud of them. It is the first time we can walk out and look at the sun and say to ourselves, we did a sovereign act, us," he said in a television interview.

"The flow of feeling from us the people into the government, was manifested to government, solved the problem that we felt existed, I think that's pretty magnificent."

With Assange on his way home, Shipton said "cartwheels is a good expression of the joy that one feels".

He said his son must be looking forward to spending time with his family and being on the beach.

All cameras were fixed on Assange as he stepped out of the Saipan court building on Wednesday.

He made no statement, but nodded to those gathered outside as he made his way to a nearby car.

Image source, Reuters

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has released a lengthy statement, external following the sentencing and freeing of Julian Assange.

In it, the backstory of his case and the outcome of the plea deal is laid out in detail.

As part of this deal, the statement reads, Assange is "prohibited from returning to the United States without permission".

However, his wife Stella has told Reuters that they will seek a pardon for his conviction - which, if successful, could mean he one day steps back on American soil without restrictions.

Image source, Getty Images

Assange's plane has now left Saipan island and is on its way to Canberra.

Wikileaks earlier shared the route his plane will take. He is expected to land in Australia's capital at around 18:41 local time (08:41 GMT).

The journey takes roughly 6 hours and 30 minutes.

Image source, Wikileaks/X

It comes with a $520,000 (£410,000) price tag - which will be paid for by the Australian government with the expectation that Assange will pay the costs back, according to his team.

A crowdfunding appeal has been launched to help foot the bill that has already taken in over £277,000 in dontations.

Julian Assange's wife Stella had been following this morning's developments, almost word for word it seems - posting live updates along the way.

Earlier, after Assange was declared a free man, she posted a picture on X , externalof her husband wearing a t-shirt with the word "truth" printed on it.

Image source, Stella Assange/X

In her post, she also quotes Judge Manglona, who said: "It appears this case ends with me here in Saipan.”

After 14 years, Assange is free.

Some believe he should not have been able to get off as lightly as he did for leaking thousands of confidential documents and potentially putting people at risk.

Others say that even his pleading guilty to one charge as part of a deal is wrong and sets a dangerous precedent for journalists.

There is still much to learn about why the US finally chose to compromise with the controversial Wikileaks founder but for now - for the first time in more than a decade - Assange can head home to Australia.

Image source, Reuters

Assange silently and slowly leaves court with a slight smile, as members of the waiting crowd shout congratulations.

"How does it feel to be a free man?" someone asks as he pushes through the press pack.

Assange doesn't reply, but as he enters a white SUV, gives a little wave before disappearing from view.

After years battling US attempts to extradite him from the UK to stand trial on charges of violating the Espionage Act, Julian Assange has now walked out of court a free man.

Speaking outside the courthouse, Assange's team have framed his case as a win for free speech.

His lawyer Jennifer Robinson say he's left a powerful legacy and that his story has sparked an important discussion on press freedom and national security.

She also thanked Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for his advocacy and making Assange's release possible.

"Finally after 14 years of legal battles, Julian Assange can go home a free man," Assange's longest-serving lawyer Jen Robinson has told the press pack.

"This brings to an end a case which has been recognised as the greatest threat to the First Amendment in the 21st century."

"It is a huge relief."

Media have gathered outside of the courthouse where Assange has just got news that he is now a free man.

He will however, not be taking questions or releasing a statement according to one of his representatives.

We're listening to his lawyer speak now though and will bring you updates.

More now on what happened in court earlier.

When revealing her sentence, Judge Manglona said that if the case was brought before her a decade ago, she would not have accepted the plea deal. But the situation in 2024 is quite different, she said.

She pointed out there are no known victims of Assange's actions, and referred to Chelsea Manning’s sentence - which was commuted by President Obama to seven years.

The 62 months Assange has been in prison (in the UK) is proportionally fair, she says.

We knew this was the likely outcome, from court documents filed by US prosecutors. They sought no extra sentence or fine.

Assange will now fly home to Australia's capital, Canberra.

The judge reiterates that the US government has agreed not to pursue any other prosecutions and then wraps up.

Assange smiles as she wishes him an early happy birthday (he turns 53 next week), saying she hopes he starts his new life with that positive note.

Court has now adjourned.

Jonathan Head
Reporting from the courthouse

When Judge Manglona read out her sentence, both the defence and prosecution took in the news showing little emotion.

The prosecution then immediately withdrew its extradition request for Assange, a big moment considering the Wikileaks founder has spent years in court trying to avoid being taken to the US.

As we reported earlier, the judge has decided Assange should be released immediately.

It is "fair" and "reasonable" to accept the 62 months he has already spent in a cell as his sentence.

"You will be able to walk out of this courtroom a free man," Judge Manglona said.

The judge also refers to 80 years since bloody battles took place on Saipan - she says Saipan is celebrating peace and hopes the deal settling this case brings peace.

Jonathan Head
Reporting from the courthouse

There's been a lot of back and forth, but Judge Manglona is making it clear now that under the terms of his plea deal Assange will be released without supervision once this case is settled.

Prior to that, Assange's lawyer described the 14 year ordeal the WikiLeaks founder has been through - dating back to when he first sought asylum in the Ecuadorean embassy in 2012.

The prosecution has made it clear that he should only be credited for time served in London's Belmarsh prison though - as that was in relation to this particular case.

Judge Manglona has agreed to view Assange's time in Belmarsh as time served, and that this case should end today.

Jonathan Head
Reporting from the courthouse

Judge Manglona is weighing up all the factors in this case in order to calculate Assange's sentence.

She's going through the different levels of sentencing and other considerations that will influence her decision.

She says the range is a 41-51 month sentence.

We had previously reported that Justice Department prosecutors would seek a 62-month sentence, but that under his plea deal Assange would be credited for the five years he spent jailed in the UK and walk free.