Nottingham's senior judge yesterday slammed prosecution lawyers for delays in a rape case in which a 14-year-old girl allegedly became pregnant.
Judge Michael Stokes said it was the fourth matter to be held up by the Crown Prosecution Service in the day's list at Crown Court.
He said that he recently met the acting head of the region's CPS and had been assured that this "will never happen again".
The judge, who is Recorder of Nottingham, said it could lead to him pressing for a formal inquiry into the work of the service, which handles all major prosecutions in the area.
"We can't continue like this. Case after case after case and the appropriate material is not before the court. We have not got the necessary paperwork before the court," said the judge.
In the rape case, the court was told the alleged offender was expecting a prison term of more than ten years. He is already in custody and was keen to be sentenced.