A MAN charged with a series of sex offences has been found dead at a North-East hospital.

Staff found Robert Errington's body at the County Hospital, in Durham. He is believed to have had an incontinence pad in his mouth.

Durham Police also attended the scene but said last night that they were not treating the death as suspicious.

Tests are being carried out on behalf of the coroner after Mr Errington died while he was a patient on the Rushford ward.

An inquest into the 64-year-old's death was opened by Durham deputy coroner Brenda Davidson in Bishop Auckland on October 3.

The hearing was adjourned for tests to determine the cause of death.

Mr Errington, of Cemetery Road, Wheatley Hill, County Durham, had been due to stand trial in December at Newcastle Crown Court for eight counts of indecent assault.

It is understood the charges were historic offences.

He died on September 29 at the County Hospital, which treats mental health patients, and is run by County Durham and Darlington Priority Services NHS Trust.

Rushford ward is an acute inpatient ward, which provides intensive nursing support for patients in periods of acute psychiatric illness. The North-East Ambulance Service confirmed it had been called to the hospital but found a doctor at the scene. It was not able to give any more details of the incident.

The Crown Prosecution Service said last night it was waiting for a copy of the death certificate before the case would be officially discontinued.

Witnesses in the trial are being informed of the patient's death.

Mr Errington appeared at Durham Crown Court on July 22 for a preliminary hearing.

The case was adjourned for a plea and case management hearing on September 2 at Newcastle Crown Court, where he pleaded not guilty.

It was listed for trial on December 5 at Newcastle.

He was represented by Smith and Graham solicitors, of Peterlee, County Durham.

A spokeswoman for the trust said: "We can confirm there was an unexpected death.

"We are waiting for the coroner's report."