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| Lord Janner appears in court over child sex abuse charges | Lord Janner appears in court over child sex abuse charges |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Lord Janner has appeared in court for the first time over historical child sex abuse charges. | Lord Janner has appeared in court for the first time over historical child sex abuse charges. |
| The 87-year-old, who has dementia, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court for less than a minute. | |
| Lord Janner faces 22 charges spanning the 1960s to the 1980s and was told his case would be sent to crown court. | |
| His attendance comes after the judge warned he faced arrest if he did not appear following repeated efforts by his lawyers to avoid him turning up. | His attendance comes after the judge warned he faced arrest if he did not appear following repeated efforts by his lawyers to avoid him turning up. |
| The appearance, during which Lord Janner confirmed his name, was brief, with the charges read out after he left and the full hearing taking less than 12 minutes. | |
| He is accused of 15 counts of indecent assault and seven counts of a separate sexual offence, against a total of nine complainants. | |
| In court | In court |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw | BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw |
| At 14:01 a large brown door to the left of the magistrates' bench in courtroom one edged open. | At 14:01 a large brown door to the left of the magistrates' bench in courtroom one edged open. |
| A female usher appeared, followed by two other women and then a frail looking man gingerly walked in. | A female usher appeared, followed by two other women and then a frail looking man gingerly walked in. |
| "Oohh," he said. "Isn't it wonderful?" | "Oohh," he said. "Isn't it wonderful?" |
| An extraordinary legal wrangle, which had involved four court hearings spanning eight days, was over: Lord Greville Janner was finally in court. | An extraordinary legal wrangle, which had involved four court hearings spanning eight days, was over: Lord Greville Janner was finally in court. |
| The appearance before magistrates of someone accused of a crime is a requirement of the law. | The appearance before magistrates of someone accused of a crime is a requirement of the law. |
| Lord Janner's lawyers had resisted it on the grounds of his severe dementia. | Lord Janner's lawyers had resisted it on the grounds of his severe dementia. |
| Although he was able to confirm his name during the 59 seconds he spent in the courtroom, he looked bewildered and waved, an inappropriate gesture for such a setting, before he was led out. | Although he was able to confirm his name during the 59 seconds he spent in the courtroom, he looked bewildered and waved, an inappropriate gesture for such a setting, before he was led out. |
| Lord Janner, of Muswell Hill, north London, was released on unconditional bail, with the next hearing to be held at Southwark Crown Court on 1 September. | |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Tom Symonds said it was likely Lord Janner's lawyers would argue he was not fit to plead. | BBC home affairs correspondent Tom Symonds said it was likely Lord Janner's lawyers would argue he was not fit to plead. |
| The peer earlier arrived at court in a silver Toyota that was forced to stop as photographers surrounded it. | The peer earlier arrived at court in a silver Toyota that was forced to stop as photographers surrounded it. |
| He had initially failed to attend Friday's hearing, despite a High Court ruling that he must attend. | He had initially failed to attend Friday's hearing, despite a High Court ruling that he must attend. |
| His lawyer, Paul Ozin, had said a live video link from the peer's home would be "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 video link from the peer's home would be "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, saying: "Even if I have to have him arrested I am going to resolve this matter today." | But deputy chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot refused the request, saying: "Even if I have to have him arrested I am going to resolve this matter today." |
| She said live links were only permitted for giving evidence from police stations when someone was in custody - which Lord Janner is not. | She said live links were only permitted for giving evidence from police stations when someone was in custody - which Lord Janner is not. |
| 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 | 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. | 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 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. | 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. | 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. | His family have strongly denied claims he used his power as an MP to abuse young boys over the course of three decades. |