Phone companies have been accused of being “universally unco-operative” by a judge.

Judge Adele Williams made her comments following the postponement of a blackmail trial because the Crown Prosecution Service had not received important evidence.

The hearing was due to start at Canterbury Crown Court this week but has been held up because prosecution lawyers were not ready for trial.

Judge Williams launched a scathing attack on the firms, saying: “I do not understand why someone doesn’t take a sledgehammer to these telephone companies.

“They are, in my experience, universally unco-operative and build-in delays to any requests for information.”

She added: “Somebody needs to summon the person responsible to court for them for to realise that they cannot play fast and loose with the criminal justice system – certainly not in Kent.”

Peter Forbes, defending, added: “One acknowledges there is often delays with the telephone companies. Any telephone evidence may be very important.”

The blackmail trial of Darius Jasaitis, 32, of no fixed address, will now take place next month.

The judge told the prosecution to prepare its telephone evidence by the end of November, adding: “If you require a third-party summons against any of these telephone companies, I am only too willing to hear such an application.”