A postmortem examination has been unable to establish the cause of the death of a former children's home boss, who was due to stand trial next month.

John Stingemore, 72, was found dead at his home in Stonehouse Drive, St Lenoards-on-Sea at 3.18pm on Wednesday, January 14, after police were called to a concern for health.

He was found collapsed but declared dead by emergency services and police said his death was not being treated as suspicious.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "A postmortem examination was held on Tuesday, January 20, and the cause of death will need to await further tests."

Mr Stingemore, who managed Grafton Close children's home in Hanworth, run by Richmond Council, was due to stand trial on February 2 after allegedly indecently assaulting young boys in the 1970s and 1980s.

Your Local Guardian:

Grafton Close is now flats

He pleaded not guilty to five counts of indecent assault, one of taking indecent images of a child and one of indecency with a child in December 2013.

Mr Stingemore was due to stand trial at Southwark Crown Court on February 2 alongside co-defendant Father Anthony McSweeney, 66, of Old Brighton Road North, Pease Pottage.

Mr McSweeney, 66, pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecent assault, one of taking indecent images of a child, three of making indecent images of a child and one of possessing indecent images of a child.

He will continue to stand trial alone at Southwark Crown Court on February 2.