A PENSIONER suspected of killing a fellow nursing home resident will not face court after dying just before Christmas, it has emerged.

Brian Moon, 72, was charged with the manslaughter of Jennie Bryant, who died after an attack at Brockwell Court in Consett, County Durham.

Mrs Bryant, 89, who suffered from dementia, was believed to have suffered a blow to the head during an argument on June 28 last year.

The great-grandmother was taken to the University Hospital North Durham for treatment, but died a week later on July 5, an inquest heard.

Mr Moon was arrested and subsequently detained under the Mental Health Act at Roseberry Park secure hospital in Middlesbrough.

He was due to appear for a hearing at Teesside Crown Court today (Wednesday, Jan 6), but a judge heard how he had died of pneumonia on December 22.

Prosecutor Thomas Storey told Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, QC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, that the file should now be closed.

The judge said: "In all the circumstances, the case will have to be discontinued."

Mr Moon was due to appear for a plea and case management hearing. He had never admitted nor denied the charge.

At an inquest in October, Dr Leslie Hamilton, assistant coroner for Durham and Darlington, was told the woman's death was a result of blunt trauma to the head following the alleged assault.

Dr Hamilton: "She died due to an assault at the nursing home possibly from another resident.

"Investigations are being under taken by the police.

"A post-mortem was carried out by Dr Jenny Bolton on July 6 and at the request of the police a second post-mortem was carried out."

Durham Constabulary and the Care Quality Commission opened an investigation into what happened at the time of the incident.

Police said they had been unable to interview the suspect immediately as he remained detained under the Mental Health Act.

The Northern Echo understands that Mrs Bryant's injuries - to her head and face - were thought to have been caused by a hammer.

Mrs Bryant had been a resident at the Four Seasons-owned home in Cobden Street since 2012, and Mr Moon had been there from September 2013.

The inquest heard that the cause of Mrs Bryant's death was bronchopneumonia due to a blunt trauma head injury.