Lord Janner to appear in court in person, lawyer confirms

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.