A family has called for an investigation into a judge who publicly berated them because they could not attend court to give evidence against a man who attacked them with an axe.

Sue and Reuben White with their son Christopher, right

The couple accused Judge Anthony King of causing "trauma, distress and humiliation" to them and their son, even though they had already informed the court they would be unable to appear at less than 24 hours' notice.

Reuben and Susan White, of Appleton near Cumnor, said they were notified less than 12 hours before the hearing, despite having warned police they had a herd of 150 cows to milk.

The couple, who run the 250-acre Cheers Farm in Netherton Road, are angry that they were openly criticised in front of the man accused of attacking their son.

Mr and Mrs White spoke out after farmworker Paul Carter was jailed for 10 months on May 9 for his violent behaviour, after gatecrashing the wedding of their daughter, Sarah, last July.

Carter, 33, had worked at Cheers Farm before being fired.

He turned up uninvited at the reception and was asked to leave but returned at about 4am and smashed six windows with an axe.

The Whites' son, Christopher, 20, was struck on the head and suffered a deep skull wound.

Carter was sentenced for criminal damage and unlawful wounding, although no evidence was offered by the prosecution for wounding with intent. A separate charge of possessing an offensive weapon was allowed to lay on the file.

After the conviction, at Oxford Crown Court on April 2, Judge Anthony King called Mr and Mrs White into the courtroom to criticise them for failing to turn up on the original court date.

He told them: "The public was cost a big sum of money because you didn't come yesterday."

Mrs White, 49, said: "A police officer came around the night before at about 6.30pm and told us we'd have to be in court by 10am the next morning. When we told him that would not be possible at such short notice, he said he would tell the court we couldn't make it. The next morning the Crown Prosecution Service contacted us to ask if there were any dates we couldn't attend.

Mrs White said: "On the day of the hearing, Christopher came out of court and I could see by his face he was distraught. He told us that the judge had said that because he hadn't turned up on the Tuesday, he could be given a prison sentence or a heavy fine."

Mrs White said: "He went hammer and tong at us for not attending, all in front of the accused man.

"My grievance is that we were the victims and an apology would not go amiss. But we've not heard anything.

"To be sat there, intimidated and belittled like that was very hard to take."

In their letter to Judge King, Mr and Mrs White, said: "We find it completely unacceptable how you treated our son.

"You do not realise the trauma and distress you have caused to us as a family.

"Our son was assaulted for no reason and left scarred for life."

They added: "We feel that a miscarriage of justice has taken place."