A JUDGE said he would summon doctors to court if a GP surgery failed to comply with requests for information about a sex attacker’s mental state.

Brian Smith admits six counts of indecent assault, a charge of gross indecency with a child and two attempted rapes on a child, all offences dating back to the 1980s.

His sentence was delayed at Teesside Crown Court after Smith’s barrister Jonny Walker said the defendant himself had raised concerns about his “psychological balance” at the time of the attacks, which were committed in the Stockton area.

Mr Walker said requests had been made to Smith’s GP surgery for medical reports from the period when he was offending, but nothing had been forthcoming.

He said: “We have hit an irrational brick wall.”

The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Simon Bourne-Arton said failure to comply with requests from Smith’s solicitors for the information within seven days would mean summons being issued.

Smith, 44, of Westgate Road, Newcastle, was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on May 15.