Lord Janner's trial on 22 sex abuse charges won't be for at least another six months and even then he may not have to be there at all 

• Former Labour peer Janner will face a fitness to plead hearing in December
• If he is not fit, there could be a 'trial of the facts' where a jury would hear evidence and decide if Janner committed the physical acts of abuse
• However, there would be no finding of guilt or conviction 
• Janner was excused from attending today's hearing at the Old Bailey but did appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court last month 

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Lord Janner, pictured following his appearance at Westminster Magistrates' Court, was not required to be at the Old Bailey for today's hearing

A judge will decide in December if Lord Janner is fit enough to stand trial over alleged child sexual abuse next spring, a court heard today.   

Janner, who was the Labour MP for Leicester West for 27 years from 1970, is accused of 15 counts of indecent assault and seven counts of a separate sexual offence against a total of nine alleged victims in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.  

The 87-year-old's case was discussed at a hearing at the Old Bailey this afternoon, although the peer was not present.

The court was told that Janner who is suffering from dementia, will face a fitness to plead hearing later this year, ahead of a trial in the spring.

The former QC, a member of the House of Lords since 1997, was not required to attend today's 'purely administrative' hearing at the Old Bailey following an order made by Mr Justice Sweeney.

The judge set a the provisional date of 7 December for a plea and case management hearing, which would include a fitness to plead hearing, and a provisional trial date for 22 February - although it could be put back. 

The trial will take place in a central London court with the judge still to be nominated.

If the trial judge decides Janner is not fit to enter pleas and stand trial, the court may conduct a 'trial of the facts', where a jury would hear evidence from alleged victims and decide if Janner committed the physical acts of abuse. 

It is not considered a trial as such because the defendant cannot put forward a defence, and it can be heard in their absence.

There is, therefore, no guilty verdict and the court cannot pass sentence. All it can do is make a hospital order, a supervision order, or an order for the defendant's absolute discharge. 

Last month, Janner was forced to attend Westminster Magistrates' Court to face the child sex abuse charges after a week-long legal wrangle over the issue.

His legal team had been insisting he was too ill to attend in person because of his advanced dementia.

But two senior judges ruled that the former Labour peer and MP must appear because of 'the obvious and strong public interest in ensuring those summoned to court attend when required'. 

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Janner is pictured in a court sketch during his appearance before magistrates last month

He appeared confused when he was brought into court for just 59 seconds on August 14 to confirm his identity and even grinned at a packed press bench and said: 'Ooh, it's wonderful.' 

THE ACCUSATIONS: 22 SEX ATTACKS SPANNING NEARLY TWO DECADES 

By Alison Saunders' own admission, the evidence against Lord Janner was strong enough in relation to no fewer than nine victims to place before a court.

The Labour peer is suspected of carrying out 22 sex attacks against young victims, including a girl, who were in local authority care. They allegedly took place over a 19 years and include:

• 14 indecent assaults on a male under 16 between 1969 and 1988

• Two indecent assaults between 1984 and 1988

• Four counts of serious sexual assault on a male under 16 between 1972 and 1987

• Two counts of serious sexual assault between 1977 and 1988

He was then escorted from the court by his daughter Marion, who told him before they left: ‘We're going to go home and have an ice cream.’ 

The prosecution comes after a u-turn from Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Alison Saunders, who announced in April that Janner would not be charged because of his severe dementia, despite there being enough evidence for a realistic prospect of convictions.

But she resisted calls to resign when she became the first DPP to reverse a major prosecuting decision following an independent review carried out at the request of six of Cardiff-born Janner's alleged victims.

The Right to Review scheme allows people to have their case looked at again regardless of who took the decision at the CPS.

The review, carried out by David Perry QC, concluded it was in the public interest to prosecute, but accepted Janner will probably be found unfit to enter pleas, instruct his legal team, or challenge or give evidence in a trial.

Janner, of Muswell Hill, north London, who was MP for Leicester West for 27 years from 1970, is on unconditional bail.

Janner is yet to enter any pleas for the 22 charges, but he has always denied any wrong doing and his family say he ‘is entirely innocent’. 

Of the allegations, 21 relate to complainants who were aged 16 or under at the time.

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Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders (left) came under fire for the original decision not to prosecute the Labour peer (right)

LORD JANNER'S JOURNEY TO THE COURTS: THE KEY DATES

January 2013

Leicestershire Police launch Operation Enamel – the fourth investigation into child sex abuse allegations against Labour peer Greville Janner. More than a dozen alleged victims came forward to say he had molested them, most in Leicester care homes during the 1970s and 1980s.

February 7, 2013

Janner speaks for last time in Lords, giving a 765-word speech on Israel.

November 26, 2013

Votes in House of Lords for the last time, on a finance bill. Claims expenses.

December 2013

Police search Janner's North London home. Makes last 12 Lords appearances.

March 2014

Police remove items from Janner's office in Millbank, Central London.

April 2014

After police request to speak to Janner, medical experts send report saying he is not fit to be interviewed because he has dementia.

May 27, 2014

Janner uses Westminster car park, but pays for his stay as he was not there on official business.

June 2 & 3, 2014

Uses Westminster car park again and confirms to the authorities that he was there on official business, despite Parliament not sitting at the time.

April 16, 2015

DPP Alison Saunders says police have enough evidence to charge Janner with 22 offences, but will not do so as he is unfit to stand trial. Police and alleged victims are furious – sparking four separate reviews and threats of legal action.

June 26, 2015

DPP's decision is overturned and Janner is told he faces court

August 7 & 14, 2015

Janner fails to appear in court twice and is threatened with arrest

2pm, August 14, 2015

Janner is escorted into Westminster Magistrates' Court by his daughter, Marion. During the 59 second hearing, Janner appeared confused and smiled and laughed throughout. Marion then helped him out of court and was heard saying: 'Come on daddy, let's go home and have a nice ice cream'.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3218016/Judge-decide-December-Lord-Janner-fit-face-22-sex-abuse-charges-trial-facts-expected-February.html#ixzz3kWJYGjfJ