A former children's home boss died of natural causes before he was due to stand trial for a string of alleged indecent assaults on boys, tests have revealed.

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

He was found collapsed at 3.18pm and was declared dead by emergency services.

 

A postmortem examination was unable to establish a cause of death, but further tests revealed he died of heart disease, kidney infection and widespread cancer.

A Sussex Police spokesman said there would not be an inquest held into Mr Stingemore's death.

Mr Stingemore was the former manager of Grafton Close children's home in Hanworth, which was run by Richmond Council.

He was due to stand trial for five counts of indecent assault, one of taking indecent images of children and one of indecency with a child alongside Catholic priest Tony McSweeney.

The charges, to which Mr Stingemore pleaded not guilty, relate to alleged incident against young boys from the children's home in the 1970s and 1980s.

His co-defendant, McSweeney, of Old Brighton Road North, Pease Pottage, was found guilty of one count of indecent assault and three counts of possessing indecent images of children at Southwark Crown Court on February 27.

He is due to be sentenced on March 27.