During the five-minute hearing, attended by supporters including his father, John Shipton, Assange's remand in HMP Belmarsh was extended.<\/p>\n
He was to be released from the high-security prison in September but was remanded in custody due to fears he would abscond after he spent nearly seven years in the Ecuadorean embassy in London.<\/p>\n
Gareth Peirce, representing Assange, told the court her client was unable to adequately prepare for his \"very challenging case\" as the computer he had been given was not suitable.<\/p>\n
\"I will put it on the record, you will understand that we are working extremely hard on this very challenging case; however, the most important of the impediments that we are facing is Mr Assange's ability to access what he needs to work on his own case,\" she said.<\/p>\n
\"After months of battle he was provided with a computer but it is not the sort of computer needed to work on the case.\"<\/p>\n
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District Judge Vanessa Baraitser said she had no jurisdiction over prison conditions.<\/p>\n
Ms Peirce replied she wanted to \"exert pressure as best we can\" on Belmarsh to improve the computer facilities.<\/p>\n
Speaking outside court, a member of Assange's team said the computer was unlikely to have internet access for research.<\/p>\n
District Judge Baraitser remanded Assange in custody ahead of a substantive case management hearing next month.<\/p>\n
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