Lawyers for Lord Janner have lost a High Court bid to prevent him having to attend court today to face child abuse charges

Lord Janner is due to appear before a court to face child abuse charges today after his lawyers lost a High Court bid to prevent him having to attend.

The former Labour peer and MP was ordered to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London in relation to 22 charges spanning a period from the 1960s to the 1980s.

His legal team says that the 87-year-old is suffering from dementia, and forcing him to attend court in person is unlawful and violates his human rights.

They wanted today's hearing halted to give him time to seek judicial review of the decision that he must attend.

But they have lost that legal bid, meaning Janner will have to appear before the court in central London unless an appeal can be mounted in the meantime.

Lady Justice Rafferty, sitting with Mr Justice Irwin, said the court had 'unhesitatingly concluded' that the balance between the human rights of Lord Janner and 'the public interest in public justice' came down in favour of Janner's attendance in court for the brief period required by the law.

Janner's lawyer Paul Ozin had argued it was 'barbaric, inhumane and uncivilised' to expose the peer to a court appearance.

Mr Ozin said there is no dispute that Janner is suffering from such severe dementia that he will inevitably found unfit to plead.

The court heard he is a frail and elderly man who is prone to suffer a 'catastrophic reaction' and likely irritability and anger if he attends court.

'It can be properly be said that it is barbaric, inhumane and uncivilised to expose a very vulnerable person to the experience... Especially when it is wholly unnecessary and serves no logical purpose,' said Mr Ozin.

'We go as far as to say no civilised society should tolerate an approach of that kind.'

Last seen: Lord Janner pictured outside his house in London in 2014. It is said he now needs round the clock care as he suffers from advanced dementia

But despite his pleas, Lady Justice Rafferty and Mr Justice Irwin refused the application.

Lady Justice Rafferty said: 'There has been quite enough sadness, misery and delay attached to all this and so I'm confident parties will read the mood of the court.'

It is barbaric, inhumane and uncivilised to expose a very vulnerable person to the experience Lawyer Paul Ozin on why the Lord Janner, 87, should not attend court

Janner, a QC, is charged with sex attacks on vulnerable young boys at a children's home in his constituency.

At the height of his alleged crimes, Janner is accused of abusing three victims in a month. Other charges reveal he is accused of preying repeatedly on the same boys over months and even years.

The peer is expected to be committed for trial at Southwark Crown Court where a judge will then decide if he is fit to plead.

If he is not, a jury would decide whether he committed the acts based on prosecution evidence. A defence team would test the case but this would be incomplete as the politician could not instruct them or speak on his behalf.

Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders came under fire for the original decision not to prosecute

If the jury were satisfied that the acts were done, the judge would have three options – a supervision order, a hospital order or an absolute discharge.

None of these amounts to conviction or punishment, but Janner could be moved to secure accommodation if he is found to be a risk to the public.

Janner has always denied any wrongdoing.

Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders provoked fury among when she ruled in April that Lord Janner could not be prosecuted because of his dementia.

But the Crown Prosecution Service said in the june that a judge and jury would conduct a 'trial of the facts' in the case of 86-year-old, although his illness means he likely will not be convicted or punished.

The High Court decision means Janner will have to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court today

Prosecutors decided 'it was in the public interest to bring proceedings before the court.'

Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders resisted calls to resign over the issue, insisting the decision over whether to prosecute had been 'an extremely difficult and borderline case because of the strong arguments on both sides.'

She said it was 'a matter of real regret' that Janner had not been prosecuted sooner.

Lawyers for Lord Janner said they will not be appealing later today against the High Court's ruling.