Lord Janner's case will be heard today, but he will not have to attend

File photo dated 10/9/1996 of Lord Greville Janner as a leading child abuse lawyer has written to Britain's most senior prosecutor in an attempt to overturn the decision not to bring the Labour peer to trial. — Lord Greville Janner

The case of Lord Janner, who is accused of 22 child sex abuse charges, will be brought before the Old Bailey – but the peer will not be compelled to attend.

The 87-year-old 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.

Mr Justice Sweeney, presiding judge for the south eastern circuit, will hear the case from 2.30pm today in the absence of the defendant, who is not required to be there in person.

Last month, Lord Janner was forced to attend Westminster Magistrates’ Court for 59 seconds 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 because of “the obvious and strong public interest in ensuring those summoned to court attend when required”.

Accompanied by a minder and woman who is believed to be his daughter, he confirmed his name during the first court appearance.

Janner, of Springfield Avenue in Muswell Hill, north London, is on unconditional bail.