THE trial of ’Forest poet’ Dave Harvey, 77, on sexual assault charges has been adjourned after he collapsed in the dock as a jury was being sworn on Monday this week.

Harvey, a former freeminer, was being tried under his real name of Charles, was rushed to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital after his collapse and was detained overnight pending examination by a neurologist.

Prosecutor Jenny Tallentire told Gloucester Crown Court on Tuesday that he was likely to be in hospital all day, if not longer, and there was no prospect of completing the trial even if he were fit.

Judge Jamie Tabor QC agreed and commented: "I don’t think any of us would forgive ourselves if tomorrow he collapsed in the dock again.”

Ms Tallentire said: "The sister on the ward has told a police officer today that they wanted him seen by a neurologist because there was a possibility of a bleed on the brain.

"That is what they want to check. If there is any possibility of that there is no way he could stand trial this week. They may just be over-cautious."

The judge said: "They have to be."

Ms Tallentire said a new trial date of September 12 had been offered by the court clerk.

Judge Tabor adjourned the case till then, adding: "There is nothing else we can usefully do except wish that the defendant gets well as soon as possible."

A panel of jurors had been assembled and two had taken the oath to try the case when Mr Harvey fell and appeared to have a convulsive fit in the dock on Monday.

The court was cleared and he was tended in the dock first by security staff and then by paramedics who arrived in an ambulance and a response car.

He was visibly shaking but after a few minutes felt well enough to be helped to his feet.

He was then helped to walk out of court to a waiting ambulance where, after being assessed for several minutes, he was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

Father of three Harvey, of Woodland Rise, Parkend, near Lydney, has been immortalised in two statues in the Forest of Dean.

He has pleaded not guilty to eight charges of indecently assaulting a girl aged eight and 15 between September 1972 and Sept 1980.

He has also denied one charge of indecently assaulting a second girl, aged between 13 and 14, between May 2001 and May 2004.

And he has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault of a woman between September 1 and November 1 2013.

His defence case is that ‘it is all made up - or my actions have been misconstrued’.

From the age of 17 Mr Harvey worked at Cannop Colliery, one of the most productive coalpits in the Forest of Dean.

He was there till it closed in 1961.

Two years later he was at work in the Northern United Colliery when there was a rock collapse and his life was saved by a workmate who pulled him out.

After Northern United Colliery was closed in 1963 Mr Harvey and his father became Forest of Dean freeminers at Bigslade until its closure in 1978.