Janner was suffering with severe dementia
Heather Saul The Independent
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| Greville Janner, in 1975. Rex Features Greville Janner, the former Labour peer, has died aged 87. |
"Lord Janner died peacefully on Saturday, 19 December after a long illness,” the family said in a statement. "He will be deeply missed."
A High Court judge ruled Lord Janner was "unfit to plead" over a series of child sex abuse charges dating back 50 years earlier in December and a 'trial of the facts' was scheduled to take place in April.
Mr Justice Openshaw said in his ruling: “The defendant has advanced and disabling dementia which is deteriorating and irreversible and I find he is unfit to plead and stand trial on his indictment.”
The former Labour MP for Leicester West was accused of 22 sexual offences dating back to the 1960s against nine alleged victims, the majority of whom were 16 or under at the time.
Lord Janner was made a life peer upon his retirement in 1997 after serving as a Labour MP for 20 years. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2009 and suspended from the Labour party in April.
His family said he was "entirely innocent of any wrongdoing" in response to the allegations.
His many alleged victims will not agree with his family's assessment of Janner. They may also feel cheated out of their day in court to air the alleged abuse suffered at his hands. But Mr Janner still has to stand before God in judgment; his guilt or innocence will be made known and recompensed at that time.
Lord Janner was an outspoken MP and prominent campaigner for Jewish organisations. Sir Mick Davis, chairman of the Jewish Leadership Council, said: “The passing of Greville Janner marks the end of an era for the Jewish community.
”Our thoughts and prayers are with the Janner family at this most difficult time.“
A family spokesperson asked that their privacy during mourning be respected.
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