‘Paranoid, vain and jealous’ – the secret life of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

Hed rather spend hours Googling himself than have his own say in the pages of his autobiography.

In the end Assange's publisher, Cannongate, releases its own version of the autobiography, after Assange allegedly fails to honour the terms of his contract. The book flopped, selling only 700 copies in its first week

During their time together Assange behaves in front of OHagan like an egotistical tyrant interested more in his own self-publicity than in changing the world. Worse still, he turns on his friends with increasing regularity, rather than focusing his anger on his enemies.

At one stage Assange describes the Ecuadorean ambassador offering him diplomatic asylum as mad, fat and ludicrous for going on a diet because she did not like the photographs of herself in the press.

The WikiLeaks founder is also disparaging of his former ally Jemima Khan, who put up the surety for his bail before he broke its conditions by seeking refuge in the embassy. OHagan recounts: He didnt pause to ask why a loyal supporter might become aggrieved; when I raised it with him he simply made a horribly sexist remark.

Earlier OHagan had watched as Assange leered at two 14-year-old girls as they walked past a caf table at which they were sitting. OHagan writes how Assange thought they were fine, until he saw one was wearing braces.

Even Assanges girlfriend, WikiLeaks researcher Sarah Harrison, grew increasingly frustrated at his behaviour during the weeks he spent on bail at Ellingham Hall, in Norfolk, the home of another of his guarantors, Vaughan Smith, the founder of the Frontline Club.

Miss Harrison says of Assange: He openly chats girls up and has his hands on their a**e and goes nuts if I even talk to another guy. Hes like threatened to fire me a few times and always for crazy reasons. One of the times was literally because I had hugged another member of staff. Julian was like 'thats so disrespectful to me.

Indeed Miss Harrison appears to begin having doubts about Assanges account of his relationship with the two Swedish women who have accused him of rape.

She tells OHagan: It was weird. Like, why was he even staying with those girls? He didnt rape them, but he was really f****** stupid.

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'Paranoid, vain and jealous' - the secret life of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange