A JUDGE has sent a 74-year-old Dursley man for psychiatric assessment in hospital following allegations that he has committed four sex offences since suffering a stroke.

Michael Webber, of Draycott, Cam, appeared before Gloucester Crown Court on Friday, November 14, having been in prison custody since his arrest.

He is facing four charges of sexual touching of girls and women between April and June this year as well as one offence of common assault.

At the hearing Judge Jamie Tabor QC was told that a bed had become available for Mr Webber in Charlton Lane Psychiatric Unit, in Cheltenham, where two psychiatrists will assess him.

"He will be there for scans and psychological testing so we can prepare reports as to whether Mr Webber is fit," said the court's liaison psychiatric nurse Andy Webb.

Mr Webber, who walks with a stick and had to be helped up the stairs from the cells into the crown court dock by a security officer, was told by Judge Tabor: "You are going to go off to hospital now and you are going to see two doctors. They are going to take a look at you and we'll see how things go.

"They are going to write a report for me and your solicitors about your state of health."

At the last hearing, the court was told Mr Webber suffered a stroke at the end of last year.

His solicitor Sarah Jenkins said then: "There is concern about dementia either as a result of or in addition to the stroke."

There was an ongoing issue about whether he was mentally fit to stand trial at all, she said.

"There are clearly issues in relation to fitness or in relation to how much this injury has played a part in the alleged offences bearing in mind he was a man of good character before his stroke."