Lord Janner has been declared unfit to stand trial over alleged child sex abuse offences due to his dementia, a senior judge has ruled.

Mr Justice Openshaw made the ruling at the Old Bailey on Monday after hearing details of the 87-year-old’s medical condition.

Lord Janner, who was not required to attend the hearing, remains on bail, while a trial of facts – where a jury decides whether the defendant committed the offences, but there can be no guilty verdict and no sentence – is expected to take place in April next year.

The former Board of Deputies president faces 22 charges. They relate to a series of historical sexual offences, the majority against young boys under the age of 16 in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

He is accused of 15 counts of indecent assault and seven counts of a separate sexual offence against a total of nine complainants.

The peer has long denied any wrongdoing in relation to the allegations.

His family say he is entirely innocent.