Lord Janner attends court for first time over abuse claims

Lord Janner has made a brief appearance at Westminster Magistrates' Court charged with historical child abuse offences.

Greville Janner is charged with offences ranging from the 1960s to the 1980s.

The former Labour peer and MP was helped into court by his solicitor and two carers.

He peered round the door and looking at all the reporters, said: "Oh gosh", adding: "This is wonderful" before taking a seat at a desk.

Deputy chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot said asked him if he was Lord Janner, who which he replied: "Yes".

She said the 22 charges of sexual abuse he faces would be sent to Southwark Crown Court for the next hearing on September 1.

Immediately following this, he was helped back to his feet and led out of court, having been granted unconditional bail.

ITV News correspondent Juliet Bremner said the entire hearing lasted just one minute.

Lord Janner has arrived at Westminster Magistrates Court to face 22 counts of historical child abuse in person for the first time.

The 87-year-old was driven in by the underground entrance, used for prisoners and vulnerable people.

During the short hearing, he will be identified by a relative or carer and told that the matter is being moved the crown court.

Should that cause extreme distress the peer will be "immediately removed" and the case continued in his absence, district judge Emma Arbuthnot ruled, saying it was important to be "humane".

Lord Janner will appear in court in person for the first time this afternoon to face 22 counts of historical child abuse, his lawyer has confirmed.

The 87-year-old had been ordered to attend the hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court in person this morning, but did not appear.

After a failed application to allow the peer to attend via video link, his legal team were given the choice of his appearing in person at the magistrates court or at Wood Green Crown Court, which is closer to his house.

His lawyers had failed in a last-minute High Court bid yesterday to permit him not to attend. They had argued that he was suffering from dementia, and so forcing him to be in court in person was a violation of his human rights, but this was thrown out.

The deputy Chief Magistrate, district judge Emma Arbuthnot, said the process should not take more than 40 seconds.

He will be brought in by the underground entrance for prisoners and vulnerable people. He will be identified by a relative or carer and told that the matter is being moved the crown court.

Should that cause extreme distress the 87 year old peer will be immediately removed, she added.

The district judge presiding over a preliminary hearing for Lord Janner, who failed to attend court to face 22 charges of child abuse, has accused the peer's legal team of "messing around".

District Judge Emma Arbuthnot warned Paul Ozin QC, who is acting for the former Labour peer and MP, that time was running out - and vowed to "resolve" the issue of whether Janner will appear at court today "even if I have to have him arrested".

Janner was ordered to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court in person for the hearing, but failed to attend.

District Judge Arbuthnot ruled the peer could not legally appear by live video link from his place of residence or a police station.

She dismissed yet more legal arguments from the defence team accusing them of "wasting time".

Addressing Mr Ozin, she said:

She added that the hearing must be done in a 'humane way'.

Lord Janner has failed to attend a preliminary hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court to face 22 counts of child abuse, despite a High Court ruling that he should.

Paul Ozin QC, his lawyer, told the court he is applying for the peer to appear via video link from his home.

Greville Janner has been charged with offences ranging from the 1960s to the 1980s.

Lawyers acting for Janner, a former Labour peer and MP, had appealed to the High Court to permit him not to attend the court as, they argued, he is suffering from dementia and forcing him to appear in person was a violation of his human rights.

But the last-minute legal bid was thrown out yesterday.

Today's hearing was due to be very brief, serving as an administrative tool to set a date for the case to move to the Crown Court.

Mr Ozin told the court the available options include a live video link from Janner's home or a link from within the court building - and added that arrangements have been made for attendance in person should the application fail.

Prosecutor Louise Oakley objected, saying an appearance via video link was "not an option".

Deputy District Judge Emma Arbuthnot adjourned the case for half an hour to allow the defence team to see if moving the case to Wood Green Crown Court - which is closer to his home - is a viable option.

Read: Lord Janner: The story so far

Lord Janner is due to appear in court to face child abuse allegations today.

Barring a successful last-minute appeal, the former Labour peer and MP will be forced to attend Westminster Magistrates Court in London to face 22 child abuse charges spanning a period from the 1960s to the 1980s.

If he does not appear in court, an arrest warrant could be issued against the 87 year old.

On Thursday his lawyers lost a High Court bid to prevent him from having to attend.

Two senior judges ruled Janner must appear because of "the obvious and strong public interest in ensuring those summoned to court attend when required".

Lawyers acting for Lord Janner have lost a High Court bid to prevent him having to attend court tomorrow to face child abuse charges.

Lawyers had wanted the hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court to be halted, to give the former Labour peer and MP chance to pursue a judicial review of the decision forcing him to attend.

They argued that the 87-year-old is suffering from dementia, and forcing him to be in court in person was a violation of his human rights.

After today's High Court ruling, he must now attend the preliminary hearing to face 22 charges ranging from the 1960s to the 1980s.

Lord Janner is due to appear in court next Friday after a magistrate said he must attend a preliminary hearing by law.

Discussions are ongoing on as to where Janner will have to appear because of ill health.

Speaking at Westminster magistrates court today, Chief Magistrate Howard Riddle said: "Something that occurred to me is whether the court should construct itself somewhere else, like Lord Janner's house."

UK editor Rohit Kachroo reports:

The hearing into allegations of child sexual abuse involving Lord Janner has been adjourned to 14 August, when a decision will be made on how he will appear.

The peer did not attend today's hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court, with his lawyer saying he was "unfit" to appear due to his dementia, but chief magistrate Howard Riddle ruled Lord Janner must appear in court.