Lord Janner ordered to court over child abuse charges

An ageing member of Britain’s House of Lords was ordered on Friday to appear in court to face charges of serious child sex crimes, despite defence lawyers arguing he was too unwell to attend.

Lord Greville Janner (87), a former Labour member of parliament and ex-president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, is accused of 22 offences in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

He denies the charges.

"Lord Janner is fit to attend," Judge Howard Riddle told Westminster Magistrates Court, saying his presence was necessary in the interests of justice.

Judge Riddle said that the peer, who has been suspended by the opposition Labour party, would only be needed for as little as a minute in a brief hearing.

In April, prosecutors said Lord Janner, who has Alzheimer’s, was too ill to face charges but were forced to reverse their decision a few months later following anger from his alleged victims.

Judge Riddle ended up adjourning the hearing for seven days for arrangements to be made so Janner could appear at the hearing after defence lawyers said the former lawmaker would not be able to attend on Friday, despite the judge’s ruling.

Reuters