A JUDGE blasted our "wholly unreliable" train service for jeopardising court cases.

Addressing a courtroom of barristers, officers and defendants, Judge Anthony Niblett said the conductor strikes on Southern trains could cause an unavoidable delay in proceedings and urged court staff to plan ahead.

Judge Niblett is the latest high-profile figure to wade into the train debate after Brighton and Hove Albion boss Paul Barber slammed Southern for cancelling services and leaving fans stranded following a game at the American Express Community Stadium.

Speaking at Hove Crown Court on Friday, Judge Niblett said: "I'm aware of all the reasons why we had delays in the last trial.

"One delay that it seems I can't avoid is the ongoing industrial dispute between the union and Southern Rail.

"The train service is at this present time wholly unreliable."

Judge Niblett went on to cite the scenario of thousands of Albion fans stuck at the Amex after a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.

Though the match on November 18 was not played during a strike but the club was told 10 minutes before the end of the match that trains would not be running due to sickness.

It meant some fans did not get away from the stadium for two hours after the game finished, with some Villa fans having to sleep rough in Brighton because they missed connections.

Judge Niblett said: "The chief executive of Brighton and Hove Albion spoke out for all the travelling public the other day after hundreds of fans were stranded after the match.

"I can't change that situation and I'm afraid for us it does mean anyone travelling from London must make alternative arrangements to be here on time every day."

The last bout of industrial action, held by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), took place on Tuesday and Wednesday last week, with decreased services operating.

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, said the Department for Transport should end its contract with Southern after the Albion debacle.

She said: "It’s time to end that contract and for the DfT to be upfront and accountable.

"The people who use the trains, and the businesses that rely upon them, such as Brighton and Hove Albion, deserve better than this."

The RMT has said its strike remained solid while Southern has told the union to call off the dispute, which is over conductors taking on new on-board supervisor roles and losing responsibility for the closing of the doors.

A spokesman for Southern Railway said: "We understand the frustrations and misery this dispute has caused to all our customers and the impact it has had on the region. We appeal, once again, to the union – call off these strikes."