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| Lord Janner to appear in court over child sex abuse charges | Lord Janner to appear in court over child sex abuse charges |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Lord Janner will appear at a London court on Friday afternoon over child sex abuse charges, his lawyer has said. | Lord Janner will appear at a London court on Friday afternoon over child sex abuse charges, his lawyer has said. |
| The 87-year-old, who has dementia, will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court at 14:00 BST to face 22 charges spanning the 1960s to the 1980s. | The 87-year-old, who has dementia, will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court at 14:00 BST to face 22 charges spanning the 1960s to the 1980s. |
| His lawyer had asked for him to appear via video link, but the judge said: "Even if I have to have him arrested I am going to resolve this matter today." | His lawyer had asked for him to appear via video link, but the judge said: "Even if I have to have him arrested I am going to resolve this matter today." |
| His family says he is innocent of any wrongdoing. | His family says he is innocent of any wrongdoing. |
| Lord Janner had initially failed to attend the hearing, despite a High Court ruling that he must attend. | Lord Janner had initially failed to attend the hearing, despite a High Court ruling that he must attend. |
| 'Through side door' | 'Through side door' |
| His lawyer, Paul Ozin, had said a live link from the peer's home would be the option that was "least likely" to cause him to suffer, or failing that a live link from the court building or a police station. | His lawyer, Paul Ozin, had said a live link from the peer's home would be the option that was "least likely" to cause him to suffer, or failing that a live link from the court building or a police station. |
| But deputy chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot refused the request on the grounds live links were only permitted for giving evidence from police stations when someone was in custody - which Lord Janner is not. | But deputy chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot refused the request on the grounds live links were only permitted for giving evidence from police stations when someone was in custody - which Lord Janner is not. |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said Lord Janner was only expected to be in court "for seconds", with the substantive part of the hearing taking place afterwards. | BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said Lord Janner was only expected to be in court "for seconds", with the substantive part of the hearing taking place afterwards. |
| The peer will enter the courtroom through a side door and will not have to go in the dock, but will instead stand or be seated facing the judge, said our correspondent. | |
| The case is expected to be sent to a crown court. | |
| Who is Lord Janner? | Who is Lord Janner? |
| On Thursday, Lord Janner's legal team lost a High Court bid to prevent him having to attend the hearing. | On Thursday, Lord Janner's legal team lost a High Court bid to prevent him having to attend the hearing. |
| Mr Ozin argued Lord Janner had "virtually no language left at all" and was likely to have a "catastrophic reaction" if he attended court. | Mr Ozin argued Lord Janner had "virtually no language left at all" and was likely to have a "catastrophic reaction" if he attended court. |
| But the judges said the public interest outweighed any personal distress he might experience, and any distress would be "of short duration". | But the judges said the public interest outweighed any personal distress he might experience, and any distress would be "of short duration". |
| Labour suspension | |
| Earlier this year, Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders decided not to bring charges against Lord Janner because of his ill health - but this decision was overturned after an appeal by the alleged victims. | |
| If a crown court judge decides the former Labour MP for Leicester is fit to plead, a full trial may take place. | |
| If not, there will be a trial of the facts, where a jury will decide only if he committed the physical acts of abuse, with no finding of guilt and no conviction. | |
| Greville Janner was made Lord Janner of Braunstone in 1997. He remains a life peer, but has been on leave of absence since 2014. He was suspended from the Labour Party in April. | |
| His family have strongly denied claims he used his power as an MP to abuse young boys over the course of three decades. |