In a last-ditch bid to avert his extradition to Sweden over allegations of sexual assault, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Tuesday asked Britain's Supreme Court to reopen his case on the grounds that its May 30 verdict, allowing his deportation, was reached on points not argued before the court.
In a submission, Mr. Assange asked for the court's previous judgement to “be set aside and the appeal reopened, on the ground that the decision of the majority was reached on a basis which was not argued before the Supreme Court, and on which the appellant was accordingly not given a fair opportunity to be heard''.
The court can reject the challenge, or could ask both sides to offer written submissions or hold a new hearing. According to experts, reopening a Supreme Court case after a ruling was “virtually unheard of''.
The court said there was “no timescale for the Justices to determine this application''.