A pensioner accused of 67 counts of sexual abuse and child neglect died on the day he was due before the magistrates.

Stephen Wheddon, 71, was expected to appear before Oxford Magistrates’ Court on February 8.

He had been charged with 49 counts of indecent assault, four allegations of gross indecency, two counts of rape of a girl under-13, four allegations of rape of a teen girl, assaulting a child under 13 by penetration, engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl and four allegations of neglect.

The offences were said to have been committed between 1974 and 2011 in Banbury. His alleged victims cannot be named for legal reasons.

This week, however, the charges were formally withdrawn after it was confirmed in court that Wheddon, of Broadgate, Weston Hills, Spalding, had died.

Lincolnshire Coroner’s office confirmed that Wheddon died at his home on February 8 – the day he was due before the magistrates’ court.

When an inquest into his death was opened on February 15, assistant coroner Paul Cooper gave the cause of death as hanging.

The time of Wheddon’s death was not recorded on the inquest opening sheet, a copy of which has been obtained by the Oxford Mail.

A full inquest is yet to take place.

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