Newcastle District Court Judge Peter Maiden apologised in open court this week when it was revealed that there were not enough sheriff’s officers in the Newcastle Courthouse complex to man a room where a witness was due to give evidence.

Judge Maiden said the shortage of sheriff’s officers was a chronic problem that he had often complained about, but he said his complaints had gone unanswered.

After he left the bench, inquiries were made, an officer was found and the hearing proceeded.

Judge Maiden said the problem was the result of sheriff’s officers resigning and not being replaced, but a spokesman for the NSW Sheriff said that staffing levels had not been cut.

‘‘The NSW Sheriff is satisfied that staffing levels are adequate in Newcastle,’’ the spokesman said.

‘‘Unfortunately a number of sheriff’s officers were unexpectedly ill ...  which caused a minor delay to court proceedings. The matter was resolved within minutes and a sheriff’s officer was able to attend the [remote witness] room.’’

A spokeswoman for Attorney-General Greg Smith said: ‘‘We have been informed that staffing levels for sheriff officers at Newcastle court have not been cut.

‘‘[This week’s] problems were apparently due to some officers being sick and this caused minor delays in an officer being available to attend the [remote witness] room.’’

In 2010, the Newcastle Herald reported that the Public Service Association was lobbying to have 22 sheriff’s officers stationed at Newcastle, but there were only 15, with the courthouse not having received any new recruits in the two years prior to that.

The office had advertised for new recruits in 2010, but those positions were never filled, although a spokesman for the NSW Sheriff said an indigenous officer had previously been assigned to Newcastle and another officer had been transferred from another courthouse.