Lord Janner has appeared in court to be charged with 22 allegations of historical child sex abuse.

The 87-year-old, who suffers from severe dementia, was brought into court one at Westminster Magistrates Court in central London.

He smiled and looked at the public gallery as he entered the court room and was heard to say "ooh".

Asked to confirm his name he responded with a croaky "yes".

Lord Janner, wearing a blue jacket, was accompanied by a family member, thought to be his daughter Marion.

He raised his hand in an apparent wave as he left the room, around 20 seconds after he had entered.

Following his departure the court clerk read the details of the 22 charges he faces. 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.

Lord Janner was released on unconditional bail and the case was sent to Southwark Crown Court where it is next due to be heard on September 1. He will not be expected to attend court that day.

The peer arrived at the courthouse around 25 minutes before his scheduled appearance.

He was driven in to an underground car park in a silver Toyota Avensis. Photographers and police stood aside as the vehicle disappeared out of sight.

This morning his lawyer Paul Ozin QC argued that the peer's severe dementia made him "vulnerable" and called for the court to accommodate his needs.

After long legal argument over whether it would be possible for Lord Janner to appear by video link, Deputy Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot told Mr Ozin: "The point is to identify him.

"If I have to have him arrested I will to get this dealt with today. Stop messing around. I'm concerned this is time wasting."

The court was adjourned a number of times to allow the peer's legal team to take advice on how to proceed. At one stage they left the court to tour the building and observe the possible route Lord Janner would eventually take to reach the courtroom.

On Thursday Lord Janner's lawyers had lost a High Court attempt to avoid him coming to court after arguing that his health was too poor for him to attend.

Doctors had told magistrates last week that the impact of the dementia meant the former Board of Deputies president often did not know where he was.

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

His family say he is entirely innocent.