Bradford Crown Court officials today apologised after a judge claimed its service was 'laughable' as he adjourned two cases because of a lack of jurors.

Judge Roger Scott had to re-list two trials - one involving an alleged robbery and another trial expected to last four days - because there weren't enough jurors to hear the cases.

But a spokesperson for the Lord Chancellor's Department today said extra jurors had been drafted in from regional courts to sit in the trials but Judge Scott adjourned the two cases before they arrived.

The spokesman said the cancellation of cases at Bradford Crown Court due to a lack of jurors was unusual and the problem was caused as the court had over-listed the cases due to be heard last Tuesday.

Judge Scott last week criticised the court and said the jury problems were not acceptable in a well-run court service. During a sitting he apologised to a police officer involved in a trial as he had spent two days at court when he could have been working on a murder trial.

Speaking at the robbery trial, Judge Scott said to the officer: "May I suggest that you contact your divisional commander. Your divisional commander contacts the Chief Constable and, as a matter of urgency, the Chief Constable writes a letter of complaint to the circuit administrator and the Lord Chancellor's Department to complain about the waste of police time."

Judge Scott also apologised to the complainant for the fact that he would have to return to court for a fourth time when the trial takes place in December.

"You've been messed about a bit - putting it in the mildest possible terms," he said.

"May I, on behalf of the system, or court service, or that which is laughably called a court service, apologise to you for being brought to court for the third day when there was no court or jurors available to try your complaint."

But Bradford Crown Court's deputy court manager, Des Creaby, today said the incident was unusual to the court.

"It is a rare occurrence and I do apologise that it has happened," he said.

"Every effort is made to stop this kind of situation from happening."

The spokesman for the Lord Chancellor's Department said: "What happened was that there were more cases on at the court on that day than there were jurors available.

"Normally courts will look to the surrounding regional courts for extra jurors to fill in.

"When jurors are available they will travel over for the trial. In this case there were extra jurors but the judge didn't know they were available and he cancelled the trials.

"But this is the first time there have been a lack of jurors at the court for a very long time."