Julian Assange has begun his fight against extradition to the US over allegations he conspired to break into a classified Pentagon computer.

The Wikileaks founder appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court for his first extradition hearing since being hauled out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London where he hid for nearly seven years.

The extradition appearance came a day after Assange was sentenced to 50 weeks’ jail for breaching bail when he failed to surrender to police in 2012.