Judge late for court sues Virgin Trains for £7,000

A Crown Court judge is seeking £7,000 compensation from Richard Branson's Virgin Trains after he arrived late for court on two consecutive days.

Judge Peter Thomas was due to preside at Gloucester Crown Court at 10am on Monday butwas stranded at Bristol Temple Meads station for 70 minutes. On Tuesday he was left marooned at the station for an hour and a half.

Arriving late for court, he told waiting barristers: "I apologise for keeping you all waiting. The train was 90 minutes late today and 70 minutes late yesterday, so Virgin Trains are doing very well!"

Yesterday a Gloucester Crown Court official said the Court Service would be seeking compensation for the £7,000 bill to cover the costs of late running of their cases.

Virgin Trains apologised for the delay on Tuesday, but not for Monday, when it said a rail had been broken, which was the responsibility of Railtrack.